I WAS IN THE ROOM WITH EMMERDALE'S CLAIRE KING AND ONE THING SURPRISED ME
Claire King, who portrays Emmerdale's merciless businesswoman Kim Tate in the ITV soap, has been part of the popular programme on and off since 1989. During her tenure on the Yorkshire Dales-based drama, she's been embroiled in multiple affairs and even faked her own death before watching her then husband Frank Tate (played by Norman Bowler) slowly die in front of her after suffering a heart attack. While her Emmerdale character has always been extremely ruthless with an insatiable appetite for wealth and power, Claire couldn't be further away from Kim in real life. As the actress turns 64, here's what surprised me about the star in person.
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I've been covering Emmerdale at work for a year, and my family is huge fans of the programme, using it as a form of post-work escapism. Who is their favourite character to date? It's Kim Tate, of course, with Cain Dingle coming in at a close second place.
One of the first times I met Kim was at a press event linked to her 2022 wedding special, when she was getting married to Will Taylor (Dean Andrews), before the romantic event descended into chaos due to a deadly storm.
While the couple survived the natural disaster, which claimed the lives of Harriet Finch (played by Katherine Dow Blyton) and Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele).
Kim's marriage didn't last long when Will betrayed her and later died of a heart attack on Christmas Day in 2024 following a row with her. It was a real deja vu moment for longtime fans!
During the 2022 press event and others which followed on Zoom over the years, Kim actress Claire has always been a joy to speak to.
What surprises me the most about her is how funny she is and that she does not take herself too seriously, despite being perhaps the highest-paid cast member.
The actress, who hails from Bradford, always gives comprehensive answers to questions and her anecdotes about Emmerdale and behind-the-scenes moments are always hilarious. Please don't change!
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV and ITVX.
2026-01-10T12:49:38Z