Home › Soaps › Emmerdale
Duncan Lindsay and Stephen PattersonPublished Jul 24, 2024, 6:53pm|Updated Jul 25, 2024, 6:04am
Emmerdale fans have been left ‘screaming’ over the conclusion of a special episode that focused solely on Tom King (James Chase) and wife Belle Dingle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) abuse ordeal at his hands.
Tom, as viewers know, lured her to a cottage last week and this special offering on Wednesday (July 24) took us back the time from when Charity and Cain Dingle (Emma Atkins and Jeff Hordley) found the house a wreck with Belle nowhere to be seen.
This so-called romantic break very quickly became hellish for Belle while Piper was targeted by the abuser, with Tom using Belle’s love of the dog to further manipulate and gaslight her, before he hit her across the face.
Belle therefore had enough and, in heart-racing scenes, she fled the holiday home.
The gripping episode has changed everything for Belle and, while we know that the storyline remains set to go on until the end of the year, this visit to the soap will turn it all upside down.
Thanks for your company – but there’s more!
Duncan Lindsay
We really appreciate you joining us for this watch-a-long, think we all need a lie down after that. Rest assured there’s loads to come.
Make sure to keep an eye on Metro Soaps for more spoilers, interviews and news
And sign up to our popular and totally FREE soaps newsletter for even more exclusive content you won’t get anywhere else, straight to your inbox every Friday morning.
Actor James Chase addresses Tom’s comeuppance
Duncan Lindsay
Don’t know about you, but we’re still feeling enraged at Tom, and James Chase, who plays him, recently told us he shares in that. Luckily, he also had something hopeful to say about the character’s comeuppance.
‘He can’t get away with it,’ he told us.
‘I don’t know to what extent that would be, or how the storyline would end but I would think it would have to be something like that because she needs justice for what’s happened to her.
‘The viewer needs that, for all the hell we’ve seen Belle get put through we have to see her win in the end, or at the very least for him to lose.’
On what he thinks the outcome should be, James added: ‘I think definitely at least prison. There needs to be at least that. I don’t really know. They’re all interesting.’
How long will the storyline go on for?
Duncan Lindsay
Producer Laura Shaw has spoken about how long the storyline might go on for – and it might be bad news for Belle as there is still a lot of time.
She told us: ‘We said right from the beginning that we wanted to tell this story as authentically and truthfully as we can.
‘Let’s face it, for people who are subjected to domestic abuse this isn’t something that’s over in a couple of weeks, it’s something that goes on for a long length of time and we wanted to be truthful to that.
‘I think you can expect that this storyline is going to run until the end of this year.’
That ending!
Duncan Lindsay
We were literally screaming at the screen, pretty sure we weren’t alone. Relive that intense moment as Belle broke free
(And huge love for the bus driver as well!)
— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) July 24, 2024Belle realised she only had one option.
Advice and support: https://t.co/gMq6zWnYQX#Emmerdale pic.twitter.com/3rWvez1vEv
Yes, Belle!
Duncan Lindsay
YES BELLE!
— SirLANsalot (@RealSirLANsalot) July 24, 2024
My heart was in my mouth , willing for her to get on the bus !
— ChristinaV9 (@ChristinaVeitch) July 24, 2024
THANK GOD for that ending ð
— M ð¤ (@michellermreid) July 24, 2024
I was on the edge of my seat!!! Eden and James are fantastic actors they make it look so real!
— Chelsea (@chelseasandrax) July 24, 2024
Belle escapes Tom after terrifying showdown
Duncan Lindsay
A dramatic end but we’re relieved for brave Belle – however, it’s far from over.
Read the full story here.
And stick with this blog for just a bit longer, we have more to share and you have plenty to say!
How will it end?
Duncan Lindsay
You have thoughts on how you feel this storyline should conclude
Theyâre building the tension really well. Desperate for Belle to fight back, just donât want yet another innocent person to end up in prison
— Lee (@MrLeeMitchell) July 24, 2024
I think they have portrayed it very well, abuse isn’t immediate, it develops over time. What I don’t want is this to be another “dead in a field who killed the bad guy?” storyline. I want police involvement, to go to court and jail. To show the system working.
— sarah jade (@sarah31733) July 24, 2024
Tom is horrific
Duncan Lindsay
‘Lunch smells delicious, now that you’ve mastered the oven’
‘Come on, don’t be thick Belle’
‘Don’t whimper, it’s pathetic’
Few TV characters have been so vile – we hope Belle can get out of this terrible ordeal
Tom is a next level narcissist gastliighting her at every minute. It’s sad the women everyday are going through this.
— Natasha âï¸ (@natashate1983) July 24, 2024
Millions are watching
Duncan Lindsay
Belle is currently trending on X and so many of you are tweeting along with one thing consistent – it’s an extremely difficult watch
Tom is evil!! Poor Piperâ¹ï¸ and Belle!
— Chelsea (@chelseasandrax) July 24, 2024
Hard to watch but important to raise awareness.
— Joni Kille (@SussexGal1978) July 24, 2024
Tom’s gaslighting worsens
Duncan Lindsay
Tom’s behaviour is what so many victims and survivors of abuse recognise. Attributing blame, changing narratives, trying to make someone paranoid
It’s not your fault, Belle. A very tough watch – but Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase are playing their roles hauntingly well
Duncan Lindsay
Please protect Piper at all costs!
We’re all horrified once more by how Tom is treating not just Belle but also her beloved pet and show boss Laura Shaw told us recently she expected backlash.
‘I don’t think having such a cute dog has helped!’ she quipped. ‘Whenever you put any pet in danger on Emmerdale everyone goes up in arms about it. Did I expect it? Yes.’
She continued: ‘Piper will certainly have a future role in the story. I’m joking about it but it’s research-led. One of the things we found is that that’s one of the things that abusers will use, they use a family pet, people you love, they’ll use them as weapons against you.
‘So this is all based on research, I promise you it’s not just us being mean to the dog for the sake of it.’
Luckily, Emmerdale has confirmed that off-screen, the dog is treated like royalty.
Oh no…
Duncan Lindsay
A warning issued before the episode confirms something worrying about poor Piper
Animal mistreatment? Ofcom are gonna be inundated
— Lee (@MrLeeMitchell) July 24, 2024
Animal abuse? Me and husband just looked at each other and shouted “Piper!” #emmerdale
— Lynn Hartley (@LynnHartley7) July 24, 2024
Duncan Lindsay
Feeling tense already – we all know this vibe isn’t going to last at all
Duncan Lindsay
Me getting ready to live-blog…
Another sneak peek
Duncan Lindsay
With not long to go, here is another teaser clip as Belle makes a worrying discovery about Tom’s true motives
Up Next
Jimmy King is quite correct…
Duncan Lindsay
Amazing week of great dramatic acting on #Emmerdale this week from Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase. Please be aware that there is heavy content around coercive control, but if youâre not triggered, feel free to be gripped!
— Nick Miles ð (@Nick_Miles_) July 24, 2024
Share your thoughts!
Duncan Lindsay
We want to know what you think as the episode goes on, so feel free to put your thoughts and reactions under this tweet and we will share some as we continue to regularly update this blog
Really interested in your thoughts on tonight’s #Emmerdale episode as we go through it, so we can include some of your views in our live blog – please post as much as you like in reply to this tweet ðhttps://t.co/PCw3P4DlxN
— Duncan Lindsay (@DuncanLindsay) July 24, 2024
Flashback kicks off week of horror for Belle
Duncan Lindsay
Tonight’s Emmerdale is kicking off in around half an hour on ITV. You will remember that Cain and Charity burst into the cottage to find the place trashed and a worrying blood stain.
Here’s how the episode opens, turning back time to the start of the week where we will discover what truly happened.
If you are impacted by any of the subject matter, details on support around domestic abuse can be found here
Up Next
MORE : Emmerdale ‘confirms’ Tom King comeuppance at Cain’s hands as spoiler video reveals aftermath of Belle escape
MORE : Belle Dingle aghast by Tom King discovery in frightening Emmerdale video
MORE : Charity and Cain Dingle’s shocking discovery in Belle’s home turns their blood cold in Emmerdale
The Soaps Newsletter
Sign up for daily Soaps updates and our weekly Editor’s special for juicy exclusives and interviews. Privacy Policy
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
