In her late 20s, the soap star was initially diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and she says Emmerdale producers make an effort to ‘keep her out of the village’ in the winter.
Claire King, an actor from Emmerdale, recently visited Lorraine to provide an update on her health.
The 61-year-old has had rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 28, and she has called the illness a “invisible disease” in the past.
She told stand-in host Ranvir Singh on Lorraine on Friday, November 3, that the producers of the ITV show are “very good” while she works during the winter.
“With Rheumatoid arthritis and being outdoors doing all that filming – is it a bit arduous on you?” inquired Ranvir, 46, to start the conversation.
In response, the actress, who returned to the soap opera in 2018 as Kim Tate, said, “Yes, I mean, they’re very good at work, the producers.” And during the winter, they make every effort to keep me away from the village.
“I kind of say, ‘Keep me out of the village from October to March,’ but it doesn’t work exactly like that.”
Then Ranvir pressed Claire to describe her arthritis in more detail.
“But so tell us – it’s in your hands is it mostly?” asked the single mother.
Claire gave a positive response and went on to say that she has the disease in every joint in her body.
Hey, I’m Metal Mickey. She pointed to different areas of her hand and said, “I’ve got metal there, metal there.” “So, the airport is enjoyable.”
In the past, Claire has been transparent about her diagnosis. She said to OK! last year that she had “struggled” to pursue her passions.
“Although my symptoms don’t always show, it doesn’t mean I’m not in pain or feeling exhausted. I struggled to go to work and do the things I love, like horse-riding, because of the terrible pressure it put on my knees.”
Rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a chronic inflammatory disease that typically affects more than just the joint lining.
It is an autoimmune disorder that arises when your immune system unintentionally targets tissues within your own body.
Rheumatoid arthritis commonly manifests as sore or swollen joints, weariness, and stiffness in the joints after inactivity.