Tom King (James Chase) demonstrates what he’s capable of in Emmerdale this week as he takes Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) hostage.
The abuser, as viewers know, made Belle’s life a living hell in the months after they tied the knot, controlling and manipulating her at every opportunity.
Belle was devastated when his true nature came to light and, when the abuse turned violent, she resolved to get away from Tom once and for all, fleeing from the holiday cottage in which they were staying at the time.
Tom has done everything in his power to discredit Belle, who confided in her family about what her husband has put her though. He has claimed that she’s having a breakdown, attempting to plant doubt in the Dingles’ minds.
But despite this, Belle’s loved ones know full well that she’s telling the truth and that dastardly Tom is not to be trusted.
The villainous vet has since turned has attention to Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell), who believes that Belle is lying about Tom being an abuser. Belle has urged Amelia to reconsider her relationship with Tom, and it looks like Amelia is willing to talk as she arranges to meet with Belle.
Things, however, take a shock turn, with Tom showing up at Wishing Well instead, taking Belle hostage.
Fans are no doubt eager to know when the Tom story will reach its climax so here’s everything that we know so far.
When does the Tom King story end?
The Tom King story is expected to continue until Christmas, with Emmerdale bosses having told Metro that it will conclude at the end of the year.
‘We said right from the beginning that we wanted to tell this story as authentically and truthfully as we can’, producer Laura Shaw told us in July.
‘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.’
On the planned ending for the storyline, she added: ‘I think we’ve always had a good idea in our heads exactly where we wanted it to end, if I’m honest.
‘Obviously we’ve found new twists and turns as we’ve gone through but we’ve always had a pretty clear picture in our heads of where it would end.’
Is James Chase leaving Emmerdale as Tom King?
The way in which the story reaches an end remains to be seen but it will mean the end of the road for abuser Tom, with actor James set to leave shortly.
‘Ot’s the right time to leave’, a source told The Sun in July.
‘James has loved his time on the show playing such a powerful story but the truth is that characters like Tom have a shelf life for a reason.
‘There’s no long-term redemption for Tom coming – he has to leave one way or the other. And either way it will be dramatic.’
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
