Claire King is returning to ‘Emmerdale’.
The 55-year-old actress will reprise her role as soap superbitch Kim Tate on the ITV show in October after her character escaped the village via a helicopter in January 1999, when she tried to kill her step-son Chris Tate (Peter Amory).
She said: "As a Yorkshire lass myself, I’m absolutely thrilled to be back in Yorkshire for a fun-filled cameo, once again reaping havoc in the Dales!
"As there are still some familiar faces from 20 years ago it’s felt like coming home and I couldn’t have had a more lovely welcome from such a talented cast and crew, so thank you everyone! It’s literally been a blast."
Kim will return to the village at the Home Farm masquerade ball next month, and several characters will find themselves on the receiving end of her vindictive ways.
Producer Kate Brooks said: "Kim Tate is such a hurricane of a character, notorious for wreaking havoc wherever she goes.
"Kim’s explosive return shakes the very foundations of the village as she swaggers back into Home Farm, leaving a devastating trail of destruction in her wake.
"We are delighted to welcome Claire back to the show; an actor exuding charisma and ebullience. It is testament to Claire’s immense talent that her portrayal of such an iconic soap villain is so convincing.
"We are all absolutely thrilled that she’s filling Kim Tate’s designer shoes once again."
Kim arrived in the village in 1989 and spent 10 years in the Dales, which saw her attempt murder, fake her own death, and stand by as her husband Frank Tate (Norman Bowler) lay dying after he suffered a huge heart attack.
As he lay on the ground suffering, Kim, his former secretary, said: "You’re a dinosaur Frank – and you know what happened to them."
Two years before Frank’s death, no-nonsense Kim – widely regarded as one of the most iconic characters ever to step foot in the fictional village – had an affair with Dave Glover (Ian Kelsey), but he tragically died after rescuing Kim’s baby James from a fire.
Claire King returning to Emmerdale
