Claire King (*on 10 January 1963 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire) is a popular English actress, best known for playing the roles of Kim Tate in the ITV Soap Opera Emmerdale from 1988 to 1999 and Karen Betts in Bad Girls from 2000 to 2004.

King attended Harrogate Ladies College, and as a punk chose a career in the music business, as a disc jockey in a Leeds nightclub. She then joined the pop groups Fidea and later To Be Continued as lead singer.

Her career moved her to London, where she lived with Geoff Bird, alias guitarist Cobalt Stargazer of the group Zodiac Mindwarp. After making her acting debut dancing in one of their videos, the relationship broke down and she became a Rock n Roll Groupie. After a series of short term relationships, she decided to become an actress, but when she tried to register with actors union Equity, she found there was already another Claire Seed, so changed her name to King in light of her love of horse racing (the sport of kings) and her favourite singer Elvis Presley.

Emmerdale

Kim Tate was a classic soap character and had storylines including having an affair with Neil Kincaid in 1992. Remarrying Frank Tate 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 1988 and left in 1999.

Bad Girls

Karen Betts was a fictional character in the award winning drama, Bad Girls. She played the G-Wing governor from series 2 to series 5 when she was set up for drunk driving by Jim Fenner. 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 by saying "The police are on their way Jim."

Desperate Housewives

On 31 December 2006, it was rumoured that King had been offered a part in Desperate Housewives after the producers noticed her on Strictly Come Dancing during a visit to the UK. If she did gain the part, then she would play the sister of Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan). In August 2007 Digital Spy reported that she no longer was subject to join the show.

Other roles

In 1999, King had guest appearance role in Babes In The Wood. In 2006 King starred in Hollyoaks: In The City as a business woman who'd do anything for money and also in Hollyoaks as a lawyer to character Justin Burton. In 2006 she had a guest role in Mayo as Gina Harper.

King appeared in Series 4 of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with professional dancer Brendan Cole. 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 that Brendan was very uneasy towards her as a dancing partner.[5]

In 2007 King took part in BBC Two reality show Safari School filmed in the South African bush. Also in 2007 Claire is to take part in the ITV quiz show All Star Family Fortunes.

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