Claire King has played iconic Emmerdale character Kim Tate for over 30 years, but away from the ITV soap she has had a rollercoaster life in the public eye

Claire King, best known for her role as Kim Tate in Emmerdale, has had a remarkable acting career. The 62 year old actress first gained fame as part of the girl pop group To Be Continued and starred in the 1987 film Eat the Rich before joining the cast of the ITV soap in 1989.

Her character, Kim, quickly became an iconic figure in the soap world.

After a decade on Emmerdale, Claire left in 1999 to explore other opportunities but made a triumphant return to the Dales in 2018. Since then, she has remained a central figure in the drama, with her character often at the heart of the action.

Emmerdale not only catapulted Claire to fame but also led her to love. She fell for co-star Peter Amory, who played Chris Tate, and the pair married in 1994.

However, their marriage ended abruptly ten years later when it emerged that Peter had been unfaithful with fellow Emmerdale star Samantha Giles, who portrayed Bernice Blackstock, reports the Mirror.

Her character, Kim, quickly became an iconic figure in the soap world (Image: ITV)

Despite this setback, Claire found love again and is now happily married. While her husband prefers to stay out of the limelight, Claire is a proud stepmother to his two teenage children.

Claire opened her heart to OK!, revealing, “My ex didn’t want children as he already had one and by the time we split up, I was just on the verge of missing that window. But then I started getting ill and had to have a hysterectomy, so I just accepted it wasn’t meant to be for me.

“So when my current partner arrived in my life and I gained two teenagers, I was already well prepared. I like to think I was there for them through a few of their growing years.”

She fell for co-star Peter Amory, who played Chris Tate, and the pair married in 1994 (Image: ITV)

Battling with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis at the tender age of 28, Kim faced an uphill struggle with an autoimmune disease causing agonising joint pain and stiffness. Her battle has been public, as she confessed the disease almost ended her career.

Kim frankly shared: “I struggled to go to work and do the things I love, like horse-riding, because of the terrible pressure it put on my knees, I can certainly relate to the ‘invisible disease’ although my symptoms don’t always show, it doesn’t mean I’m not in pain or feeling exhausted.”

Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV at 7.30pm