After bravely revealing Tom King (James Chase)’s violent, coercive treatment of her to her family in Emmerdale and reporting him to the police, Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) knows she still isn’t safe from him while he remains in the village.
Though he claims to have moved on and started a new relationship with Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell), Belle knows this is just for show and Tom will use Amelia to get at her.
This proves to be horrifically correct in upcoming episodes as Tom finds a new way to mess with Belle’s head. James Chase told us what happens.
‘Tom deliberately takes a top of Belle’s, it’s a pale blue jumper and he has given it to Amelia,’ he said.
When Belle sees Amelia wearing her top, she demands to know how she got it. Amelia is mystified, as she believes that the top is new and was a gift from Tom. Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) witnesses this confrontation and both she and Amelia think Belle is acting in an unhinged way.
This is Tom’s plan. ‘He knows he’s grinding her down when he knows she’s seen Amelia in her clothes,’ James said. ‘He always has a plan, trying to scare Belle, manipulating those he can. He’s got something up his sleeve because he has to if he wants to get out of this situation on top.
‘It’s all about getting her in the worst state possible so he can selfishly benefit.’
Although it seems that Tom is currently very much in a corner with no real friends left in the village, James observed that that’s when his character is at his most dangerous.
‘I think in a weird way Tom does thrive under pressure as he is used to being in the corner, it’s like he is a trapped animal in the corner trying to fight his way out. I think in a weird way he enjoys it – as he gets an energy from it and feels quite invigorated and proud of himself when he does succeed in talking himself out of these scenarios.
‘There is definitely a small portion of doubt in the back of his mind, because the walls are starting to close in on him.’
We’ll see the pressure start to build on Tom in the coming days as his plan backfires when Amelia starts to question whether the blue top really belonged to Belle.
‘Tom is really cross,’ James told us. ‘Obviously the walls are closing in on him. He berates her immediately and then drags her out of the house. That’s when Jimmy (Nick Miles) is watching and sees the police arrive to question Tom.’
With Tom’s former ally Jimmy now having seen Tom’s vile behaviour towards Amelia, and the police having new evidence, it looks like Tom’s reign of terror could be almost over. But even at this stage Tom won’t admit defeat. James said that the character has a ‘God complex.’
‘He thinks he can get away with it as he has a sort of God complex. He thinks he’s incredibly intelligent. He enjoys playing people and playing scenarios.
‘Tom is going to always think he can outwit people – I don’t think it’s anything he would ever lose. As he’s done it time and time again. But I think one day he will get a rude awakening and that will knock his confidence.’
