Fans of Emmerdale may well remember actress Claire King, who played the villainous Kim Tate from 1989 to 1999…

Kim was originally Frank Tate’s secretary, and after they had an affair, she married him after his first wife Jean died of cancer, much to Chris and Zoe Tate’s – Frank’s children – disgust.

Kim went on to earn the title Soap Bitch as she had affairs and generally connived her way around every shady business deal and personal gain going. And of course, in the end, she sat and watched Frank die when he had a heart attack, making sure he couldn’t reach the phone to call for help.

She was a brilliant soap baddie, and she’s headed back to our soapy screens with a new role in Hollyoaks.

What’s On TV report that of her new role, Claire – who’s also starred in prison drama, Bad Girls – said, “It’s great to go back to my soap roots and work with the talented team at Hollyoaks…”

Claire will play the role of the prison governor at the facility where poor old Mitzeee Miniver (Rachel Shenton) is being held – though she’s innocent – after she was arrested for stabbing Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) who of course actually stabbed herself.

We’ll first see Claire’s character when Mercedes’ mum Myra McQueen (Nicole Barber Lane) is transferred into the prison.

Claire added, “Rachel and Nicole were fantastic to work with and I really enjoyed filming the dramatic prison scenes.”

Don’t miss her first scenes on Wednesday, August 8, which are repeated on Channel 4 at 6.30pm on Thursday August 9.

But for now, here’s a reminder of just how wicked Kim Tate was!