Patsy Kensit on return of Emmerdale character 20 years on: ‘She’s still a cow’

By Rachael Popow, Press Association

Patsy Kensit has said her Emmerdale character, Sadie King, may have grown since she was last in the Dales, but is “still a cow”.

The actress will return to the soap after a 20-year absence, reprising her role as the glamorous, scheming villain.

Sadie first arrived in the soap in 2004 as the wife of Jimmy King and left two years later following affairs with Cain Dingle, Robert Sugden and her brother-in-law Matthew, but Kensit said she may have acquired new depths since we last saw her.

The soap star,  who shares son Lennon with ex-partner Liam Gallagher, said: “I think it’s really smart what (producer) Laura Shaw and the writers have done.

“We want to find out about the real person because obviously that’s really interesting for me to play and I think for the audience to see where she is in her life.

“You know, what does this woman really have and what does she really value? Does she have any values?

“I think that that’s interesting to explore as a woman and with the things that we go through in life – going through the change and all of that stuff.

“And you know, she’s on her own. Does she have brothers, sisters, a father, a mother – she was probably birthed by a jackal, she’s so awful.

“I think there’s a bittersweet kind of side to her, and it’d be nice that maybe that would come through.

“But she’s still a cow.”

While little is known about what brings Sadie back to the village, it has been revealed she will have a run-in with Kim Tate, played by Claire King.

Kensit said: “I got to do some scenes with Claire King the other day and we took it old school. Old school bitches.”

She added of Sadie: “She’s always been one of the favourite roles I’ve ever had because I’m pathologically polite as a person and she just… isn’t. And so, some of the things I get to say and the putdowns and everything.

“I used to live vicariously through her because I would never, ever talk to anybody like that.

“So, I had just so much fun and when I got the call (to come back) it was just a hard yes for me.”

Kensit, who went on to play Faye Morton in Holby City between 2007 and 2019, added: “It’s overwhelming when you come back, because it’s such a well-oiled machine, and everyone that works on the show, the cast, the crew, all the hair and make-up departments, costume, everyone is so good.”

She adds: “It’s one of the best places I’ve ever worked and coming back, I’m just so impressed. At the studio, I was walking around saying ‘it’s so glamorous’.

“Because, you know, I’ve been working in fields and stuck on an ice-cold beach, shooting a movie. Then to come back and have the proper make-up room and somewhere warm and dry to change and I don’t have to do it behind a bush.”

However, while Kensit has been welcomed back to Emmerdale with open arms, she hinted that Sadie gets a more hostile reception, saying: “I get slapped to shit.”

Emmerdale is on at 8pm on weeknights on ITV1 and STV or from 7am on ITVX and STV Player and YouTube.