Claire King has revealed that she walked out of several castings as TV directors tried to seduce her.
Claire King
The 'Emmerdale' legend - who has played villainous Kim Tate in the ITV soap on and off since 1989 - explained that she was invited to a hotel room by a big name in the industry prior to finding fame.
Claire told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "I’ve been to several castings where I’ve thought, ‘This isn’t right, why am I in a hotel room? Why aren’t I in an office or a studio?"
“It’s that big blackmail threat, ‘You won’t get the job unless you . . . ’
"I don’t think any job is worth that because I’ve got principles. But there’s always someone behind you who will, someone to fill your boots.
“I was strong enough to say, ‘I don’t need this part that badly, I’m out of here’. I have never been propositioned, because I would never have let it get that far.
"But I have plenty of friends who have been propositioned by producers, plenty of friends who have ended up in dodgy situations. And it still happens now."
The 59-year-old star - who has also appeared in 'Coronation Street' and 'Bad Girls' - is grateful that attitudes within the industry are improving but criticised those who will take offence at anything.
Claire said: "We’re now at the point where you can’t even have a bit of banter without worrying someone will be offended.
"I have experienced sexism and — recently — ageism, of course. I grew up with sexism in the Seventies and learned to brush it off.
"We’ve moved on a lot in the past couple of years and things are improving. Racism, homophobia, sexism are all being called out.
"We still have further to go but sometimes I think we’ve been pushing things so far we forget what’s real and what isn’t.”
Tagged in Claire King