Emmerdale has confirmed that Belle Dingle’s marriage to Tom King is going to become abusive and controlling.
There have already been some pretty big clues that Belle’s whirlwind romance was going to take a dark turn.
Tom hitting her during the flashback episodes of Emmerdale last year was a big red flag! Though Belle managed to convince herself that was all just a mistake on Tom’s part.
Wedding blues for Belle and Tom in Emmerdale
Since then, the pair have got engaged and married in the space of a few weeks, though it was clear in the run-up to the wedding that Tom was becoming increasingly controlling.
He over-ruled Belle’s wishes on the wedding reception venue, her dress and even her name when she said she wanted to remain Belle Dingle and he sulked about it.
And it was clear the marriage was shaping up to be a mistake when Tom left Belle to sleep alone on the sofa on their wedding night after a row about her family.
Poor Belle read the letter her mum, Lisa, had written her before she died for her special day. As she read her mum’s words, expressing how she knew Belle would have married a good, kind man, viewers could see Belle wondering if she’d made an awful mistake.
Now the pair are back from their honeymoon and Belle’s starting to forget what a good relationship looks like.
Tech abuse
Eden Taylor-Draper, who plays Belle, says she think this is an important story to tell.
“Soaps offer the viewer a glimpse of life behind closed doors and reveal what people present to the world isn’t always a truth,” she says. “The sad reality is that behaviour like this in a relationship is all too prevalent. I hope we do this story justice.”
Tom’s control over Belle will explore a relatively new form of domestic abuse using technology.
The programme has been working with outside partners to research this topic, producer Laura Shaw explains. “Our research has shown us that since the Covid pandemic the instances of ‘tech abuse’ have risen. For example, a partner using monitoring devices such as trackers or hidden cameras to control and track their partner. So before long Tom will start using different methods of technology to assert his control and surveillance over Belle.”
Sounds like a gripping twist in this already sinister tale.
You can access free and confidential support from Refuge’s 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 and digital support via live chat Monday-Friday 3-10pm via www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk.
You can also visit the the tech safety website https://refugetechsafety.org/ to learn more about technology-facilitated abuse
Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale in 2024?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an hour episode on Thursdays.
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