Claire King
Encyclopedia
Claire King is a popular English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 actress, best known for playing the roles of Kim Tate
Kim Tate
Kimberly Jane 'Kim' Tate is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. who appeared between 1989 and 1999, She was played by actress Claire King. Kim Tate is seen as one of the most iconic characters in the history of British soap opera, having been dubbed The Soap Superbitch...

 in the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

 Soap Opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

 Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...

from 1989 to 1999 and Karen Betts in Bad Girls
Bad Girls (TV series)
Bad Girls is an award-winning British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1999 to 2006. It is produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road...

from 2000 to 2004.

Biography

King attended Harrogate Ladies College, and as a punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 chose a career in the music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

 business, as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...

 in a Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

 nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...

. She then joined the pop groups Fidea and later To Be Continued as lead singer.

Her career moved her to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, where she lived with Geoff Bird, alias guitarist Cobalt Stargazer of the group Zodiac Mindwarp
Zodiac Mindwarp
-Overview:The band is the brainchild of Mark Manning, a graphic artist and editor of London's Flexipop magazine. Deciding to experience the debauchery of life as a decadent rock star, he assumed the alter ego, Zodiac Mindwarp, and formed the Love Reaction in the mid 1980s together with guitarist...

.
After making her acting debut dancing in one of their videos, the relationship broke down and she became a Rock n Roll
Rock N Roll
-Personnel:*Ryan Adams - Bass, Composer, Costume Design, Guitar, Keyboards, Multi Instruments, Vocals, Vocals *Billie Joe Armstrong - Vocals *Melissa Auf der Maur - Vocals...

 Groupie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....

. After a series of short term relationships, she decided to become an actress, but when she tried to register with actors union Equity
British Actors' Equity Association
Equity is the trade union for actors, stage managers and models in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1930 by a group of West End performers....

, she found there was already another Claire Seed, so changed her name to King in light of her love of horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 (the sport of kings) and her favourite singer Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

.

Emmerdale

Kim Tate
Kim Tate
Kimberly Jane 'Kim' Tate is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. who appeared between 1989 and 1999, She was played by actress Claire King. Kim Tate is seen as one of the most iconic characters in the history of British soap opera, having been dubbed The Soap Superbitch...

 was a classic soap character and had storylines including having an affair with Neil Kincaid in 1992. Remarrying Frank Tate
Frank Tate (Emmerdale)
Francis Ronald "Frank" Tate is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Norman Bowler.Frank arrived in Beckindale in 1989 with his second wife Kim, son Chris and daughter Zoe...

 again and then started an affair with David Glover in 1995 which the viewers loved and was the centre of attention for that year. She joined the show in November 1989 and left in January 1999. In her years on the show Kim Tate was one of soaps most popular characters being on front pages on most TV magazines and winning numerous awards including Best Bitch in Soap in the 1996 Inside Soap Awards and Best Exit in 1999 in the British Soap Awards. In 1997 Claire decided to leave the show but after she had finished her last scenes three days later she got a phone call from the producers asking her back on the show with more exciting storylines and a high pay rise that made her one of the most highest paid actresses in soap in ITV. After leaving in February 1997 she returned in May 1997. Kim Tate was presumed dead as her body was found in a river Frank was charged with her murder but was later released on bail. She returned in May 1997 to Home Farm where Frank was and he suffered a heart attack after he saw her. Kim left him there to die by not phoning for a doctor or ambulance and by leaning a compact mirror to his mouth to see whether he was still breathing or not. This scene was voted one of the most campest scenes on television. Kim later returned for Franks funeral a few days later much to the shock of her stepson and stepdaughter Chris & Zoe. After Frank had died Kim inherited all his shares from Home Farm and then married Steve Merchant.1998, when Kim and her new husband Steve Marchant fell on ill times, they planned to gain some money by stealing a horse and selling it, after replacing it with an older horse in the hope that no-one would notice the difference.

Whilst driving the horse-box, however, Steve happened to run Kathy Glover over. Kim managed (after narrowly preventing her husband from finishing Kathy off in the hospital) to talk to Kathy while she was alone, concussed and vulnerable. She persuaded her that Steve had not stopped his vehicle when he had hit her to make her husband seem like the sole villain of the piece - even though she had helped to plan the thievery of the horse.

On the day of trial in January 1999, with the lawyers questioning Kathy's validity as a witness for Steve's hit-and-run crime, Kathy herself came to question how true Kim's words had been. For this, and numerous other crooked tricks, the police were soon on her trail.

Needing to escape, Kim discovered that Chris had found the money from the robbery which Kim had buried in Frank's grave. She confronted Chris, tried to seduce him, and knocked him out savagely with a paperweight when he was not fooled. Then she confessed that she had indeed, as he speculated, killed his father; he had died of a heart attack while she looked on - in precisely the location Chris was now lying in. She left with her son in a helicopter. The pilot asked her if she was Kim Marchant, and with her final words on the show she replied, "No, Kim Tate". She has never been seen again. Kim is consequently one of the soap's few villains never to be punished for her crimes, or properly killed off. In 2005 Kim sent flowers to Emmerdale for Seth Armstrong's funeral.

In 2001 Channel 4 did a series of 100 greatest TV characters and Kim Tate was the only Emmerdale character in the category coming in at No. 81.

In her autobiography released in 2006 she revealed herself and Norman Bowler who played her husband Frank Tate were not best of friends off-screen and she would munch on raw garlic before she had any kissing scenes with him. She was very friendly with the late Emmerdale actors Stan Richards & Clive Hornby as they attended her wedding to Peter Amory. She was present both at Stan Richards funeral in 2005 and Clive Hornby's in 2008.

Bad Girls

Karen Betts was a fictional character in the award winning drama, Bad Girls. In 2000 Brian Park former producer of Coronation Street approached her with a role on Bad Girls as a prison officer who later turned governor. In Series 2 when Karen Betts arrived and was given the head job from Simon Stubberfield replacing Helen Stewart who resigns. She and Jim Fenner had slept together before but she was aware of how schemeing he was. In Series 2 Karen acted as a good samaritian listening to problems from Shell Dockley who was sexually abused when she was a child and Zandra Plackett who was dying of a brain tumour. She also was held hostage by mad Tessa Spawl who had HIV and was going to infect Karen. Tessa was a prisoner in Karen's last prison where she was employed but kept her away from seeing her girlfriend.Jim Fenner saved Karen from Tessa. In Series 3 Karen started a relationship with Jim Fenner much to the objection of Helen Stewart who was another Wing Governor. In Series 3 Karen & Jim got engaged. In Series 4 Karen ended her engagement with Jim Fenner and started a relationship with Mark Waddle who was another prison officer. However their relationship finished after Karen went to visit Jim Fenner at his house and she claimed he pushed her into having sex with him and reported it as rape but Mark didn't believe that and finished the relationship. She later started seeing Richie Atkins who was prisoner Yvonne Atkin's son. Karen didn't know that Richie was seeing another prisoner Snowball Merriman planning to have a bomb explode in the prison which did ended up killing Shaz Wiley in the blaze. In Series 5 Karen was kidnapped by Snowball Merriman but was later found. She then acted as a good samaritan by helping Julie Saunders over her battle with cancer and also have Christopher Biggins come visit the prison and help out Buki Lester to see her son Baxter. However Karen wanted Jim Fenner out of Larkhall and in league with Yvonne Atkins they tried to get him out but failed. Karen got photographic evidence and statements to sink Fenner. He tried to attack her bu she hit back saying Your Balls Are Going On My Mantelpiece. However tha plan didnt go wrong before the end of Series 5 Jim broke into Karens home and stole the evidence and dressed up as a woman weraring a blonde wig and red lipstick and pretented to be her and stole her car and runover a pedestrian. No evidence was there to support her and Karen was sent down. She played the G-Wing governor from series 2 to series 5 when she was set up for drunk driving by Jim Fenner
Jim Fenner
James Graham "Jim" Fenner is a fictional character in the British television series Bad Girls, portrayed by Jack Ellis.Fenner is the Principal Prison Officer, working on 'G wing' at HMP Larkhall Women's Prison, and is a regular major character during seven out of eight series of Bad Girls...

. She later returned in series 6 to bring Fenner down for good by proving her innocence. She was last seen with Neil Grayling confronting Jim on his wedding day after she cleared her name.

Desperate Housewives

On 31 December 2006, it was rumoured that King had been offered a part in Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...

after the producers noticed her on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...

during a visit to the UK. If she did gain the part, then she would play the sister of Edie Britt
Edie Britt
Edie Britt Williams is a fictional character created by television producer and screenwriter Marc Cherry for the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...

 (Nicollette Sheridan
Nicollette Sheridan
Nicollette Sheridan is an English film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing.-Early life:...

). In August 2007 Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....

reported that she no longer was subject to join the show.

Other roles

In 1999, King had a guest appearance role in Babes in the Wood
Babes in the Wood (TV series)
Babes in the Wood is a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1998 to 1999. Starring Karl Howman and Denise van Outen, Babes in the Wood was written by Geoff Deane, Paul Alexander, Simon Braithwaite, Ian Searle and Fleur Costello.-Cast:...

.
In 2006 King starred in Hollyoaks: In the City
Hollyoaks: In the City
Hollyoaks: In the City was a British television drama series set in Liverpool and first broadcast in 2006. Hollyoaks: In the City was a spin-off of Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, originally devised by Phil Redmond...

as a business woman who'd do anything for money and also in Hollyoaks as a lawyer to character Justin Burton
Justin Burton
Justin Burton is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Chris Fountain. The character arrived in 2003 and departed on 3 June 2009. Justin arrived in a family of six, however by September 2006, his entire family had left the show...

. In 2006 she had a guest role in Mayo
Mayo (TV series)
Mayo was a comedy detective drama television series made by the BBC and starring Alistair McGowan, Jessica Oyelowo, Huw Rhys and Loo Brealey. The series is based on a popular series of Gil Mayo mysteries books by Marjorie Eccles. It was filmed on location in and around Leamington Spa. The series...

as Gina Harper.

King appeared in Series 4 of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...

, partnered with professional dancer Brendan Cole
Brendan Cole
Brendan Cole is a ballroom dancer specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, a dance contest in which a professional ballroom dancer is partnered with a celebrity amateur dancer...

. Claire and Brendan were knocked out of the competition at the end of the eighth show, and were the ninth couple to leave. She later revealed in The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....

 that Brendan was very uneasy towards her as a dancing partner.

In 2001 Claire took part in Star Lives presented by Carol Vodermann. In 2007 King took part in BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...

 reality show Safari School
Safari School
Safari School is a BBC Two reality television series presented by Dr Charlotte Uhlenbroek in which eight celebrities take part in a four week ranger training course in the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa.-Synopsis:...

 filmed in the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

n bush.
Also in 2007 Claire took part in the ITV quiz show All Star Family Fortunes. She also wrote weekly columns in the weekly magazine Best. Also that year she starred in pantomime alongside Katherine Kelly who plays Becky McDonald in Coronation Street in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs. In 2010 she acted in the sitcom The Gemma Factor. She also toured the UK & Ireland alongside Michelle Heaton on stage in 2010 with the comedy play The Naked Truth.

She is due to make a guest appearance in the next series of ITV1 drama The Royal.

Personal life

King was once a rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

 groupie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....

, and when she published her autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...

 she revealed that in her late teens she had an affair with Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...

 as well as flings with footballer Vinnie Jones
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter "Vinnie" Jones is an English film actor and retired Welsh footballer.Born in Hertfordshire, England, Jones represented and captained the Welsh national football team, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. He also previously played for Chelsea and Leeds United. As a member of the...

 and the then little-known jockey Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...

 and also Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 jockey Kieran Fallon. She also shared a flat in London when she was younger with singer Marc Almond
Marc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...

.

King was married for 10 years to actor Peter Amory
Peter Amory
Peter Amory is an English actor best known for playing the role of Chris Tate on ITV's soap opera Emmerdale. He was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England.-Personal life:...

 who played her stepson Chris Tate
Chris Tate
Christopher Francis "Chris" Tate is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Peter Amory.-Early storylines:...

 in Emmerdale. The marriage broke up in 2003 when Claire was living in London filming Bad Girls and it was reported that Peter Amory was seeing fellow co-star Samantha Giles who had played Bernice Thomas in Emmerdale.

King ended her engagement to fellow actor John Robson after disagreements over where they would be living. She currently lives in a converted barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...

 near Harrogate, with her horses and Labrador dogs.

Claire owns four racehorses & rides out for a few trainers as well as taking part in a number of charity races. She recently presented a documentary for This Morning on the plight of the horses in Lesotho in aid of The World Horse Welfare.

In an interview with Hello Magazine in 2009 Claire revealed she can never have children, following a hysterectomy to treat fibroids. She also has suffered from arthritis.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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