Emmerdale star Claire King has revealed that her character Kim Tate is so hated that she was once approached in a supermarket and battered by a viewer!
The actress has recalled the time she was shopping in M&S when a disgruntled elderly lady cornered her and hit her over the head with an umbrella.
Claire shared her ordeal when explaining the backlash she has received for her villainous Emmerdale character over the years.
She told OK! magazine in an exclusive interview: “Some people think I’m really Kim Tate because they forget the show isn’t real life.
“I was hit over the head with an umbrella in M&S by an old lady once because Kim had been cruel to Frank.”
Claire confessed that she was “recognised a lot” for her baddie character, so she decided to buy a “remote” home abroad.
She bought a four-bedroom home in a secluded part of southern Spain to escape the hassle she received from the public.
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Despite her years of experience, the actress also admitted she felt nervous to return to her infamous role as Emmerdale’s bad girl.
She felt apprehensive because of the criticism that is now plastered all over social media.
Claire added: “I was nervous about doing the role justice again. A lot has changed since I’ve been away. Everybody’s a critic now thanks to social media and some of the comments can be very cutting.”
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Claire admitted her character can be a “real moo” in a recent interview on This Morning, but she said she does like feisty Kim as she also has a “softer” side.
Claire played Kim in Emmerdale from 1989 to 1999, before reprising her role in 2018. Her other roles include Karen Betts in Bad Girls and Erica Holroyd in Coronation Street.
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