Emmerdale star Claire King has had a rocky enough love life to rival her soap character Kim Tate’s.
It’s safe to say Kim hasn’t had the best start to married life.
Kim recently tied the knot with Will Taylor in the Dales, but after his ex Harriet Finch ended up dead on his wedding day, he fumed at Kim for letting her die.
READ MORE: Emmerdale Chas death ‘sealed’ as fans say there is ‘no way back’ after sordid affair
As for actress Claire, she’s done it all – from marrying her on-screen son to feuding with her co-star for cheating with her hubby.
Daily Star takes a deep dive into her relationships away from the cameras. Buckle in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Marrying on-screen son
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In 1994, Claire tied the knot with her on-screen stepson, Peter Amory, who played Chris Tate in Emmerdale.
It was five years after they both joined the soap, before Chris was killed off in 2003.
Though they remained loved up for a decade, Claire was left devastated when she learned Peter had cheated on her with one of their co-stars, Samantha Giles – best known for playing Bernice Blackstock.
Peter claimed at the time that both he and Samantha were estranged from their respective partners, but Claire insisted the affair began before their relationship fell apart.
(Image: Rex Features)
She told The Mirror: “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.'”
The star added: “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 c***py teenage stuff.”
Claire kept to a “two strikes and you’re out” rule with her hubby, and eventually ended their relationship when Samantha’s husband wrote to Claire’s agent, revealing details of their ongoing affair.
The pair finally divorced in 2004.
Co-star cheating scandal
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Despite the “horrific” experience of finding out about her hubby’s affair, she later forgave her co-star Samantha when she apologised at a pal’s funeral.
Speaking to The Mirror, Claire explained: “She said she knew it was a long time ago, but she wanted to say sorry for everything that had gone on. I thought, ‘good on you girl’ for apologising, and agreed that it was way in our pasts.
“I’ve got nothing against her now. It’s all water under the bridge, and for me to be able to say I don’t care any more is good for me too.”
The pair went on to appear in plenty of scenes together, especially when Bernice’s daughter Gabby gave birth to Kim’s grandson Thomas.
Bob Geldof fling
(Image: Redferns)
Teenage “wannabe punk” Claire King was just 17 when she enjoyed a fling with Band Aid creator Bob Geldof.
The star felt an “overwhelming urge” to be with the rocker when the pair met backstage at one of his gigs, and he soon invited her back to his room.
Kim claimed of the torrid affair: “Before I knew it, he’d kicked off his boots and was kissing me on the bed. His kisses were wild and deep.
“He pulled me up off the bed, stood me against the wall and stripped me naked, but he didn’t take all his clothes off.
“I was still quite inexperienced sexually but he knew exactly what he was doing. He was well built and would certainly not have had any embarrassment in the changing rooms.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Later, Geldof’s partner Paula Yates showed up, leaving Claire feeling uncomfortable – and she refused to be with him again if their relationship was serious.
However, Claire claims the pair met up for sex several times more until after Paula welcomed her first child with Geldof. Claire eventually confessed: “I just couldn’t handle being the other woman any more.”
She added: “I was in love with him and he would never be mine, so I had to let go.”
Later, Claire said she felt “less guilty” when she found out Paula was reportedly cosied up with Terence Trent D’Arby in 1985, admitting: “I certainly felt better knowing she wasn’t completely innocent either.”
Famous partners
(Image: ITV)
Bad Girl Claire didn’t draw the line at Bob Geldof, as she also had some pretty high-profile flings with other musicians.
From dating Frankie Dettori to Vinnie Jones, Claire wasn’t afraid to let slip her various affairs over the years.
She also dated jockey Fergal Lynch and singer Mark Shaw from 80s band Then Jericho, before living with Zodiac Midwarp guitarist Geoff Bird for four years.
Secret boyfriend
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
In 2020, Claire opened up on her new relationship with her partner, who she has been with for the last 15 years.
However, she won’t be putting him in the spotlight after ditching the drama for a stunning barn conversion with her man deep in the Yorkshire Dales.
She explained to OK!: “Well, when I was married to Pete, we couldn’t help being in the public eye as we worked together, but, luckily, that wasn’t in the time of social media.
“My partner now isn’t in the business, and that suits me perfectly well. He isn’t interested in the business, and that keeps me grounded – not that I need grounding.”
Claire isn’t able to have children after undergoing a hysterectomy in her forties – but admitted she always “looks for the positives”.
She explained that “things happen for a reason”, and her ex-husband Pete already had one son when they were together. She said: “By the time I got out [of the marriage] I was in my forties and I wasn’t going to just get pregnant for the sake of it.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
