FALLEN KING
Emmerdale’s Eden Taylor-Draper admits there’s further turmoil ahead for Belle Dingle after harrowing Tom King abuse
Belle will be reunited with her dog Piper
EMMERDALE star Eden Taylor-Draper has admitted there will be further turmoil ahead for Belle Dingle.
Fans have been both engrossed and infuriated with the harrowing Tom King storyline on the ITV soap.
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Eden, 27, has been at the forefront of a major storyline as her character Belle suffered both mentally and physically at the hands of her husband.
She was put through rounds of traumatic abuse behind closed doors at the hands of Tom (James Chase) with his coercive control tactics.
He burnt her with a hot tap, he instilled cameras in every room to keep watch of her, and the house almost caught fire when he locked her inside.
The corrupt vet also pretended that her beloved pooch Piper was accidently run over and killed, before he gave the dog away to new owners.
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In recent days viewers broke down in tears after they saw him get his comeuppance as he was put on remand after trying to flee.
But despite Tom finally getting found my the police and locked up, the actress has teased that there is more turmoil to come.
"I don’t think there will be an end point to that journey or that healing," she admitted.
"Speaking to the producers and the research team, everyone is so passionate that this story doesn’t end when this side of the story ends."
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She continued: "There’s a whole other world to explore there. I guess this is the side you don’t often see - the aftermath and the healing.
"I’m really proud that’s something they are so focused on."
Tom King is finally exposed as an abuser in Emmerdale as police find horror evidence
Eden is also set to have an emotional reunion with her beloved Border Terrier, whom she thought was dead.
The Emmerdale actress hinted that the canine companion will be an integral part of the character's journey going forward.
"I think Piper will be a part of that journey," she remarked.
"Piper is everything to her and, I do think in a way, she’s saved her from this situation. I guess it is her little therapy dog."
Belle Dingle's biggest Emmerdale storylines
Mineshaft fall
One of her first storylines occured when the character was just seven-years-old. She was under the care of her uncle Shadrach Dingle (Andy Devine), who fell asleep. Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor) paid them a visit where he brought his pet ferret Spike. Although she was sternly warned against it, Belle let the animal out the cage and chased it through the fields. She she pursued the animal, she accidently fell down a mine shaft and had to be rescued.
Killing of Gemma Andrews
Gemma Andrews was played by actress Tendai Rinomhota. She was initially best friends with Belle before boys got in the way. After various dramatic moments, they got into an altercation. Belle pushed her to the ground in anger and Gemma hit her head. Belle was apologetic and she tried to help, but Gemma told her to stay away and they walked off in different directions. However, Harriet Finch (Katherine Dow Blyton) was left horrified after she found Gemma's body near a hedge and she later passed away in hospital. Although Belle confessed her actions to Lisa (Jane Cox), her mother told her not to go to the police. But she later left the funeral to hand herself in, where she was charged with murder.
Jermaine Bailey affair
Belle first encountered Dr. Jermaine Bailey (Micah Balfour) when she needed treatment after she cut her hand on some glass. She was initially attracted to him, although she soon found out that he was already married. They could not stay away from each other as they met up at a factory to have sex. However, they accidentally started a fire when a candle was knocked into a bin. When he found out she was just 17-years-old, he tried to end their relationship, but they soon got back together. Belle later confessed the details of the affair to Jermaine's wife, Angie Bailey (Nina Toussaint-White), after she became suspicious. Although he revealed plans to leave, she told him that she was pregnant. However she was actually faking it in an attempt to prevent him from leaving.
Schizophrenia diagnosis
After the details about the affair were revealed, Belle had a breakdown in the café. After paramedics were called, Belle went missing. A body was found by the police, but Zak (Steve Halliwell) and Lisa were relieved when they went to identify the body to discover that it was not Belle. After living rough, she collapsed from malnutrition and dehydration and was taken to hospital. When Zak and Lisa visited, Belle lashed out as she thought they would kill her. Belle was later assessed by doctors and after she claims that she could hear more than one voice, Jermaine thought she might have schizophrenia. The Dingle parents are informed that it might be best to send Belle to a unit in Surrey to recover from the episode. Six weeks later she returns to the village to visit her family.
Lachlan White
Belle was known for her relationship with Lachlan White (Thomas Atkinson). The actor was known amongst soap fans for his portrayal of the serial killer from 2014 until September 2018. During his killing spree, he committed a number of murders. These included his mum and grandfather, Chrissie and Lawrence White, his best friend Gerry Roberts and a conman who pretended to be Gerry’s uncle. He attempted to kill rival Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) and Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele) when he believed she discovered him. Many viewers also believed he had killed his aunt Rebecca, but both times she was revealed to be alive. When his crimes were discovered, he tried to go on the run where he kidnapped his girlfriend Belle Dingle. She then tried to escape, but was run over by Robert and Ross Barton (Michael Parr) who were looking for the duo.
Tom King
Belle married Thomas King (James Chase) in 2024, but soon after the marriage descended into chaos as Belle became part of a coercive control storyline. He locked her inside the house, secretly filmed her using CCTV, and subjected her to severe mental and physical abuse. He would also emotionally manipulate her too as he regulated and disposed of some of her mental health medication. After he made her think her beloved dog piper was killed in a road accident, she soon discovered his true nature. She tied to break free of his grip by telling her family. After he then tried to make her life hell in revenge, she attacked him with an axe in an act of desperation.
Eden explained that Belle will a journey ahead have to process and heal from what she was put through.
"I think justice would be the main thing that she wants and probably to just fully understand what she has gone through and start the journey of healing.
"Understanding and accepting that this is not on her and this is not her fault. She did not create this."
"Obviously, Tom stopped her working so she has nothing really. I think she needs to start from scratch and build herself back up again."
I don’t think there will be an end point to that journey or that healing.
Eden Taylor-Draper
The soap star gushed over the producers and writers of the soap, as Eden felt 'honoured' that to life.
"It has probably been my biggest year. It has been a huge honour and I feel so blessed, challenged and motivated," Eden admitted.
"Every day I come into work and I just have the best time."
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She added: "To say how dark it has been I feel like we’ve really tried to embrace and tell that story. So, we’ve just put everything into it."
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Emmerdale continues on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
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