Former Coronation Street star, Claire King, has spoken out about her decision to quit the ITV soap earlier this year after a stint as Liz McDonald’s man-eating friend, Erica Holroyd.
Speaking to The Belfast Telegraph, Claire said: “I felt the writing wasn’t working for me.
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“It was always difficult as I came in as a lone wolf, Liz’s friend from Spain, with no family. I was like a pinball bouncing around these different situations.”
She added: “It’s a pity; I’d imagined three or four of us sitting round a table chewing the cud – me, Sue Cleaver (Eileen), Beverley Callard (Liz), Patti Clare (Mary) – like the real Coronation Street of old.
“That’s what I always loved about it.”
During her two and a bit years on the cobbles, Erica was involved in a storyline with toyboy Nick Tilsley, which saw her fall pregnant with his baby, but then suffer a miscarriage.
She then entered into a relationship with kebab king, Dev Alahan.
But it was Erica’s desires for mechanic, Kevin Webster, that finally saw her leave Coronation Street for good.
When Dev and Anna discovered Erica had booked a hotel for her and Kevin to, ahem, enjoy some grown-up time together – which Kevin declined – she was sent packing.
Claire, who is most famous for her role as Kim Tate in Emmerdale, also spoke about the gruelling filming schedule now the show has gone up to six episodes a week.
She said: “I had to graft it out – they’d film an episode a day.
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“It was a different kettle of fish to Emmerdale. But I was so excited to join Corrie and I loved working with [Patti]. She’s brilliant.”