Claire King, best known for her role as the iconic Kim Tate in Emmerdale, once opened up about her difficult split from ex-husband and former co-star Peter Amory. 

The actress, who has played one of the soap’s most formidable characters since 1989, previously referred to Amory as the “love of her life.”

King, now 63, became a household name through her portrayal of Kim, captivating audiences with her character’s scheming ways and dramatic storylines. 

After initially leaving the show in 1999 to explore new opportunities, she made a triumphant return two decades later, 

once again placing Kim at the center of some of Emmerdale’s most gripping plots.

Her on-screen drama recently continued as Kim faced heartbreak following the tragic death of her husband, 

Will Taylor (Dean Andrews), who suffered a fatal heart attack over the festive period. Off-screen, however, Claire’s personal life has seen its own share of turbulence, particularly in her marriage to Peter Amory, who Emmerdale fans will remember as Kim’s stepson, Chris Tate.

A Secret Romance Turned Marriage

Claire and Peter’s relationship began behind the scenes in the late 1980s after they both joined Emmerdale in 1989. Their romance remained under wraps for some time before they tied the knot in 1994. For a decade, they were seen as one of the soap world’s strongest couples.

However, their marriage came to a devastating end in the early 2000s when Claire discovered that Peter had been unfaithful. Reports at the time suggested that his alleged affair was with another Emmerdale co-star, Samantha Giles, who plays Bernice Blackstock on the show.

Infidelity and Heartbreak

While Samantha never publicly addressed the rumors, Peter did acknowledge that he and Samantha had been involved. However, he insisted that both of them were separated from their respective partners at the time. Claire, however, believed otherwise, stating that she suspected the affair had begun before she and Peter had officially split.

In a candid 2005 interview with The Mirror, Claire recalled sensing that something was wrong in her marriage. She explained that work commitments often kept her in London while Peter remained in Yorkshire, and the distance between them had grown over time.

“I had a feeling something was going on,” Claire admitted. “We were spending less and less time together, and I was always traveling back to Yorkshire on weekends. I remember Pete telling me that I only came back to see my dogs and horses… and I thought: ‘Well, yeah, and to catch you at it!’”

Her suspicions were ultimately confirmed when Samantha’s husband at the time sent Claire a letter detailing the affair.

“That was about four years ago,” she revealed. “I confronted 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.’”

The betrayal hit Claire hard, as she never saw Peter as the type to be unfaithful. “I felt really let down. He wasn’t a womanizer, so when I found out, I thought: ‘Well, it’s serious.’”

Moving Forward and Maintaining a Friendship

Despite the pain of their breakup, Claire eventually found a way to maintain a civil relationship with Peter. She revealed that although she was deeply hurt by the affair, she chose to handle the situation with dignity.

“When we broke up, I put on a brave face, but inside I was dying,” she confessed. “Because I took it on the chin and didn’t rant or rave or beg, I didn’t realize how much it hurt.”

Although their romantic relationship ended on a difficult note, Claire and Peter managed to remain friends. “We were close, and we’ll always be mates,” she said.

Claire’s ability to move forward with grace reflects the strength she has often portrayed through her on-screen character. While Kim Tate may be known for her ruthless and cunning ways, Claire has taken a more pragmatic approach to dealing with real-life heartbreak.

Now, with her long-running role in Emmerdale still going strong, Claire continues to captivate audiences, proving that both in fiction and reality, she remains one of British soap’s most enduring stars.

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