OK! JOINS CLAIRE KING IN HER SPANISH VILLA
‘EMMERDALE’ STAR CLAIRE KING TALKS TO OK!’S LAURA HILLS ABOUT HER SOAP RETURN, AS WE JOIN HER AT HER HOUSE IN SOUTHERN SPAIN
Few soap villains become as well-liked as Emmerdale’s Kim Tate, so it’s little wonder viewers were delighted to see Home Farm’s first lady returning to their screens last year.
Claire King made her surprise return to the role that made her a household name in October after 20 years away from the show and, following a brief hiatus, she is now back for good.
Playing a character as wellloved as Kim means Claire is used to being approached by fans and aggrieved viewers in the street but luckily she has her Spanish villa to escape to whenever she needs some privacy.
Exclusively inviting OK! to take a look around her four-bedroom villa in the sprawling mountains of southern Spain, the 57-year-old star explains: ‘I do get recognised a lot, which is one of the reasons I chose a place so remote’.
Claire often escapes to Spain with her partner of 11 years, although after a high-profile split from her former husband in 2004, she has made the decision to keep their relationship well out of the public eye.
‘My partner has nothing to do with the showbiz industry and he has absolutely no interest in being part of it,’ she explains.
Here, Claire opens up about her nerves over returning to Emmerdale after so long, getting married again and why it’s so important that she keeps her relationship private…
Your return to Emmerdale was a big surprise. Were you nervous about bringing Kim back?
Kim is an iconic character and viewers remember her very fondly so I was nervous about doing the role justice again. A lot has changed since I’ve been away. Everybody’s a critic now thanks to social media and some of the comments can be very cutting but I try not to read what is written about me.
Did you always hope that one day Emmerdale would ask you to come back?
The idea of returning had always been in the back of my head. I’ve been asked back a few times over the years, but the timing was never right. I didn’t want to go back too close to leaving Coronation Street but when I got the call this time, it felt like enough time had passed for people to forget that character.
‘EVERYONE at ‘Emmerdale’ IS Still as FRIENDLY and WELCOMING as THEY’VE EVER BEEN’
What was it like swapping Emmerdale for Coronation Street? I had a great time on Corrie but my character didn’t do an awful lot, so I think she was fairly forgettable. I loved working with Jimmi Harkishin [who plays Dev Alahan] though; we’re still in touch.
How has Emmerdale changed in the 20 years you’ve been away?
The workload has been a shock to the system. When I left we were filming three episodes a week and now there are six. Everyone is still as friendly and welcoming as they’ve ever been though. I know it’s cheesy, but it felt like going home.
Was it nice to be reunited with anyone in particular?
It was great to see Chris Chittell [who plays Eric Pollard]. He sent me a lovely message before I came back saying: ‘You have nothing to worry about Kingy, everyone is lovely and will welcome you with open arms.’ It really put my mind at rest because I was very nervous about going back. I love working with Andrew Scarborough [Graham Foster] too. He is lovely and so different from his character, like me.
Do people get you confused with Kim? Some people think I’m really Kim Tate because they forget the show isn’t real life. I was hit over the head with an umbrella in M&S by an old lady once because Kim had been cruel to Frank!
You’ve been in a relationship for 11 years but keep your partner away from the public eye. Why is that important to you?
I know what it’s like to have a relationship that’s played out in public. It gets messy and I didn’t want that again. My partner has nothing to do with the showbiz industry and he has absolutely no interest in being part of it. It’s nice to keep
my relationship separate to work, it creates a bubble for me, which I really appreciate. He’s just a lovely, normal bloke from Yorkshire. He keeps me grounded even though I like to think I’ve always been quite down to earth.
Can you see yourself getting married again? I don’t think so. We both went through divorces and know how hard that can be. The only time I can see us getting married is if we discover some really great tax advantages [laughs]!
Have you ever considered Hollywood? There was talk of TV shows over there when I first left Emmerdale but it didn’t end up happening. The problem is they consider women over the age of 30 as past it.
Do you think more should be done to create roles for older women?
There are more opportunities now than ever but a lot more still needs to be done. Women can be a law unto themselves though. So many actresses fall into the trap of getting plastic surgery to halt the ageing process. People can do what they want to their faces, but I’ve earned my lines and wrinkles. I’m proud of my age so I’ll never try to hide it.
Have you ever considered surgery?
I tried Botox and had a temporary procedure years ago, but I didn’t like it. My bloke loves me just the way I am and I like the way I look too. I feel great in myself right now and I’m doing a job I love so there’s no need to change anything.
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‘i feel great… and i’m doing a job i love So there’s no need to change anything’