Emmerdale star Claire King has addressed fan rumours that her character Kim Tate could be facing an exit.
King, 63, has played the popular character in the long-running ITV soap on-and-off since 1989. However, Kim has endured a troubled start to the festive season.
After organising for singer Jason Donovan to perform at the Woolpack pub when Sam Dingle failed to get tickets for Lydia, she disappeared from the party and was later seen lying on the ground in agony.
Earlier that day, Lydia and Sam had gone behind her back and arranged for illegal shooters to use her land, with one of them shown setting up a snare before being told to leave.
Her beloved horse, Ice, also had to be put down after his leg was shattered. Kim, now heartbroken, has been isolating herself from the rest of the village.
In an interview with the Mirror, King said she often read soap rumours about her character being “doomed” but said nothing like this had cropped up in the scripts so far.
“From my side, I would like to stay,” she said. “But they might have plans to get rid of me already!
“I have read things like, ‘Kim’s fate is doomed’, but I certainly haven’t read that in the scripts. It’s why I don’t ever read anything on social media.”
King said she had been moved by her recent storyline about Kim being alone at Christmas, pointing out that it can be a difficult time for many.
“It breaks my heart every time I watch the Age UK advert [highlighting loneliness] and it really gets to me,” she said.
“I know Christmas is essentially a Sunday lunch that seems to go on for months. But, for those on their own, it’s a heartbreaking time. It’s always important to pop round to see people to make sure they are alright with a little pudding or some sloe gin – that’s what I’ll be doing.”
King said it was a “sad time” for Kim, a year after losing her husband, Will, and amid her fall-out with Lydia over money.
“She is now on crutches because of everything that went on with the shoot and she is helpless,” she continued. “It’s a real bah-humbug moment for her.”
She said she hoped Kim would get some of her old fire back in the new year, suggesting one of her resolutions would be a new wardrobe and to get “some more riding in”.
She also said she hoped her character would trust people less: “She’s gone a bit too soft recently.”
Emmerdale airs today (25 December) for an hour on ITV from 6.15pm.
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