Emmerdale Claire King’s heartbreaking split from soap co-star after secret romance on set
Emmerdale actress Claire King has had her fair share of drama away from the ITV soap - including a split from her co-star and "love of her life" after he had an affair with one of their colleagues.
Emmerdale legend Claire King once candidly revealed the heartache behind her split from former co-star and ex-husband, whom she once dubbed the “love of her life”.
TV stalwart Claire, 63, has been gracing our screens since the 80s, but is most famed for her role as the formidable Kim Tate in Emmerdale, a character she first brought to life in 1989.
Kim Tate quickly ascended to iconic status within the soap, with Claire’s portrayal earning her critical acclaim until she departed in 1999 to pursue new ventures. Two decades on, Claire triumphantly returned to the ITV drama.
Her character has been central to some of the most explosive plots in the Dales, engaging in steamy romances and even staging her own demise. Currently, her character is reeling from the tragic Christmas storyline that saw her on-screen husband Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) suffer a fatal heart attack.
Off-screen, Claire’s life has mirrored the tumultuous twists of her soap opera alter ego.
Claire is a soap legend (Image: ITV)
Claire’s personal life took a dramatic turn when she married Peter Amory, her on-screen stepson Chris Tate in Emmerdale. Their romance blossomed away from the cameras, leading to their nuptials in 1994, five years into their shared screen journey.
The couple’s ten-year union came to an abrupt end when Claire uncovered Peter’s infidelity, a betrayal made all the more bitter by the involvement of another Emmerdale cast member.
At the time, it was alleged that Peter was involved in an extramarital affair with actress Samantha Giles, known for her role as Bernice Blackstock. Samantha has never publicly addressed these allegations.
She was married to her soap co-star (Image: ITV)
Following the emergence of these reports, Peter stated that both he and Samantha were separated from their respective partners at the time. However, Claire disputed this, suggesting she believes the affair began prior to their separation.
In a 2005 interview with The Mirror, Claire expressed that she had suspicions about their relationship. She noted that she and Peter were spending less time together due to her work commitments in London.
Claire revealed: “I was travelling back to Yorkshire every weekend. I remember Pete saying that I only came back to see my dogs and horses… and I thought: ‘Well, yeah, and to catch you at it! ‘She continued: “But then it was Samantha’s husband who wrote me a letter and told me. That was about four years ago.”
Peter reportedly had a fling with Samantha (Image: ITV)
Claire then shared: “I questioned Pete and he admitted it had been going on for a while. He told me it was over but then it started again.
At that point I said: ‘Well, you have to go with her then, because it obviously isn’t going to stop. ‘””She was there when I was in Emmerdale and you can’t help those thoughts going round in your head – did he fancy her, did he… it’s all that crappy teenage stuff.
” Claire confessed that she felt “really let down” and “didn’t see it coming,” insisting that Peter “wasn’t a womaniser” so when the reported affair came to light, she thought: “‘Well, it’s serious. ‘”Claire opened up about maintaining a friendship with Peter despite the pain their breakup caused her. She admitted: “When we broke up I put on a brave face, but inside I was dying.
“And because I took it on the chin and didn’t rant or rave or beg, I didn’t realise how much it hurt. We were close and we’ll always be mates.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm
