Although Claire King started her career in music it's for her acting that she is best known. Soap fans will remember her as ultimate bitch Kim Tate in Emmerdale.Despite leaving the show nine years ago Kim is still as popular a character as ever. But her role as Karen Betts in Bad Girls is another role that she will always be synonymous with.I caught up with Claire as she promotes that Emmerdale 35th anniversary DVD's which is out 15th October to discuss her most famous roles and what she is up to now.

You didn't begin your career in acting but in music what made you leave music behind for acting?
Because I wasn't really getting anywhere (laughs) I think I had pursued it to it's death, and I don't think that I could sing well enough really. I moved down to London with the hope of trying pursue the music but it didn't really work out. I was going out with a guy from Zodiac Mindwarp called Cobalt Stargazer and they were doing a video and Ade Edmonson was directing, in fact it was his directorial debut, and he said come along and do some on the comic strip. I had started to going to drama school and classes and I thought this is actually a nice way in to that way so it started from there really.
How did you go about getting the part for Emmerdale?
I did a play called the Pleasure Principle at the New End Theatre in Hampstead and got casting directors and agents down, and an agent took me on, and one of the first jobs that she put me up for was Emmerdale. So I had very limited ability, but they did want someone who could ride a horse, so I kept stressing that I could ride a horse quite well and keeping away from the acting side and I got the part. At the time I was living in London, but I'm actually from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, so it was great I had had a few years down in London but i would be nice to go back home, family and all the rest are up there, and get paid to ride a horse in a soap it was brilliant.
What was it like going into such an established soap?

Oh it was quite scary, especially when you see Annie Sugden in there and Amos and Mr Wilkes, and you just think oh my god I've just been watching these people on television for so many years. But back then there was only a cast of about fifteen, now it's a hundred and fifteen, and they really did welcome you and look after you and show you the ropes and they were really really nice. But it was very daunting on that first day having had no real experience you know.

Did everyone get along or were there on-set rivalries?

No in those days, as I say in those days it was such a small cast, there were so many different age groups and different people in there but no we were a real tight little family then really tight, and two of my best friends are actually Richard Thorpe and Stan Richards bless him as he is no longer with us, and obviously they are a bit older than myself but they really took me under their wing and obviously Frazer, Frazer Hines, because of our horsey connection. So it was a different kettle of fish we were only doing two episodes a week which went to three, then I left, and now they are doing like two hundred.

What was your favourite storyline?

It had to be the Kim, Dave, Frank triangle because it was just really spectacular, and good fun to play as well, and the audience always like those sorts of things the love triangle.

Kim Tate has become one of the dales most notorious character are you ever tempted to go back?

Well I was asked to go back actually for one episode when poor old Seth died, Stan in real life died, so they incorporated that into the story line but it was just kind of one episode. But it's always talked about and there's always speculation but all I will say is the door is closed but it's not bolted. I don't know it's different it's moved on so much in the last nine years since I left, I mean it's been nine years, but I don't know I still swear that Home Farm is mine (laughs).

After Emmerdale you went to Bad Girls how did the roles differ?

Well Karen was more of a victim than a culprit, I mean Kim Tate was the out and out bitch, cow however you want to put it, and Karen was firm but fair but she was more of a victim definitely and she wasn't as hard she was softer. But because she was a strong woman people see the roles as being fairly similar but they weren't. And also I'm going to be cast as these strong women anyway, I don't look like the mousy type, and I'm asked if I'm worried about being typecast and no because I have played such great characters I've been very lucky that way.

And what research did you do for the part?

I went round a young offenders place here in Yorkshire because Emmerdale was filming there, and I knew the director and some of the crew, and I said can I come along for the ride and went round there and got a few tips. But at the end of the day I think it was really down to the writers as to what you were saying and what you were doing, you couldn't have a lot of input, but it just gave an idea of what went on anyway.

Does it bother you at all that these two characters will follow you around for the rest of your career?

Not at all because, as I say, I'm just pleased that they have been such great characters, and award winning characters as well, so it's really nice that. I have done other parts but I suppose that they are the two that really stick out I suppose because of the longevity but also because they were such strong characters.

You have recently written your autobiography why did you decide that now was the right time to write one?

I think because I saw the point of writing it as the end of one chapter of my life and the beginning of a new one. It was almost a cathartic experience because it was a case of draw a line under that and move on and the start of the rest of my life.

And is there anything in the book that you maybe wish that you hadn't written about?

No not particularly i just wanted it to be very truthful and honest and I didn't want to leave things out or embellish stuff, or whatever anybody else does, because I just wanted it to be truthful. I just want to be true to myself I didn't do it for sensationalist reasons I wanted to do it for myself and I think that is what I achieved with that so no I'm quite proud of it.

Strictly is back on telly how did you get involved last season?

(laughs) I have no idea, a certain agent called Neil Howard. I think it was one of those things were, I've been asked to do quite a few of the reality stuff, and I had previously done Safari School that summer, although I didn't go out until after Strictly.

And I hadn't done dancing before but I just thought that it's one of those reality shows were you are actually learning something, which is a bit different to just sitting in a house having fights with people, so I thought it's a challenge and I will rise to the challenge basically. And I didn't expect to get past week two or three really so to get to week nine was just amazing, particularly as it was with Brendan (laughs).

What was your relationship like with him when the cameras weren't there?

We got on alright actually, a lot of it was just for show, the thing is he is so passionate about what he does and wants to win so badly that he almost gets more angry with himself than his partner. I just laughed it off, which is the best way to deal with it, although it wound him up but it was the best way because there wasn't once where I thought if I didn't laugh I'm going to cry and walk off, and I think I'm the only person that hasn't.

But even he and Kelly, according to the papers so I don't know if it's true or not, they have had a run in already but I don't know if it's true with the bit of spin that goes on they like to put a spin on anything that Brendan does.

We did have laughs, in fact we didn't have a row, we were just too aware of each other's temperament and personality not to get involved in a slanging match because it could have ended up physical (laughs). No we handled each other ok, whatever has been said is all water under the bridge, I wish him luck in this one, I wish Kelly luck (laughs).

What are you up to now - I read you were joining The Bill is that true?

I know someone put it on Wikipedia, I don't know who, but it's not true nobody has rung me I haven't been offered a part so sorry that's not true. I have done an episode of The Royal, which should be going out shortly, and then I'm doing a trek in South Africa for the Children's Society in November.

It's a seven day trek just outside Cape Town and then we are working for three days with little kiddies who have Aids and giving them a boost and just cheering them up basically. It will be pretty full on and have to do a fair amount of walking every day so at the moment, after I've got this week out of the way promoting the 35th, that's it I'll get my walking boots out so that's what I'll be doing.

And then after that panto so I'm in Barnsley through to the end of December and I'm playing the wicked queen, surprise surprise, and that's in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs so that will be fun.

If you want to sponsor Claire on her trek in South Africa and help raise money for The Children's Society then visit www.justgiving,com/clairekingafrica.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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