Emmerdale viewers claim that soap writers are making them feel “uncomfortable” after promising to develop a dark storyline between Belle Dingle (played by Eden Taylor Draper) and Tom King (James Chase). The pair recently tied the knot despite the former exhibiting initial hesitation.
After saying ‘I do’, Tom decided that his new wife would spend their wedding night on the sofa. He made the call after Belle wanted to read a letter left to her by her late mother, Lisa Dingle.
Tom then used a surprise honeymoon as a way to apologise to his spouse, and the pair headed to the Lake District. After returning to the village, Tom got annoyed that Belle had been offered a new job before deliberately mixing up the grocery shop and allowing her to take the blame.
ITV showrunners have said that further scenes depicting Belle and Tom’s “controlling and abusive marital relationship” are set to air. “The newly married couple… have just returned from their honeymoon, but the signs are already apparent that their relationship is a bed of roses,” a release said.
Emmerdale detailed that in upcoming scenes, Belle will “lose her way” and be unable to recognise a “normal relationship” while her spouse will exhibit “clear signs of coercive control”. They added that there are indications that Tom’s abusive behaviour could also turn physical.
Writers of the long-running soap are working with the domestic abuse charity, New Beginnings Peer Support, to bring this harrowing story to life.
The collaboration aims to help to highlight common signs of domestic violence such as manipulation, love bombing and isolation from family and friends.
However, not everyone is impressed with the direction of Belle and Tom’s love story.
One viewer recently took to X, formerly Twitter, and wrote: “Apparently the Tom/Belle storyline is going to get a lot darker. We all need another really depressing storyline don’t we…..”
A second commented: “Emmerdale is so hard to watch. Belle and Tom's story is so painful. Poor Belle.”
“The Tom and Belle story makes me uncomfortable like the gaslighting is actually triggering me,” claimed a third fan. “Tom plus Mack there should be a warning before every episode.”
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“With the Belle/Tom abuse story about to ramp up, and the Chas cancer story too, Charity PTSD dragging on, the Rhona/Ivy/Gus and Angel going to youth custody very soon, it's all a bit depressing in #Emmerdale at the moment,” typed another viewer. “Can we not have something enjoyable & lighthearted?”
Others have praised the powerful message however, with one X user writing: “Eden is gonna shine.”
Another said: “Such a shame really liked Tom and Belle together but also a very important storyline.”
Eden, 26, has played Belle since 2005, and said that she hoped this storyline could offer viewers a “glimpse of life behind closed doors”.
Regarding the upcoming scenes, she said: “When we first heard from the producers the way the Tom and Belle relationship story was going to go, we were fully aware of the responsibility that would bring.
“But it 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 the truth.”
She added that domestic abuse is “all too prevalent” and that she hopes she and James, 28, can do the storyline “justice”.
Tune into Emmerdale every weeknight from 7.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
