While EastEnders fans were stunned when Dirty Den rose from the dead in 2003, and Coronation Street viewers were thrilled when Bet Lynch strutted back in 2002, avid Emmerdale watchers have had to wait much longer for the return of one of the show’s greatest icons, Kim Tate.
Claire King’s character left in 1999 – by helicopter. No humble bus to Hotten for this lady! Not surprisingly, her return in 2019 was suitably camp. During her welcome home party she was pushed off a balcony onto a fountain of champagne glasses. But it wasn’t long before she was gone again and sent back to prison.
Now, Claire’s at the centre of a huge storyline that’s set to run for months. Kim’s son Jamie (Alex Lincoln) has got Gabby (Rosie Bentham) pregnant. And while he wants nothing to do with the baby, Kim likes the idea of a new grandchild to continue her empire.
Here, Claire, 58, talks about returning to the much-loved show after 20 years away, why she had to take some time off and losing loved ones...
Claire, are you pleased to have this juicy plot to get your teeth into?
I’m thrilled with this storyline because it involves quite a few different people, and a lot of different emotions. It has longevity, which is good, because nowadays, particularly in soaps, a storyline can be over in two weeks because there are so many episodes going on! Kim’s going to have a lot of fun with this storyline.
Does it feel like a very different show to the one you joined back in 1989?
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