ITV Emmerdale's Tom King set for dramatic exit in shock death twist

Emmerdale villain Tom King is set to depart from the soap later this year following a harrowing plot line.

Since his introduction to Emmerdale two years ago, Tom - portrayed by actor James Chase - quickly became entangled with Belle Dingle, played by Eden Taylor-Draper. What appeared to be a whirlwind romance soon took a dark turn as it was revealed that Tom was subjecting Belle to coercive control, and even physical and verbal abuse.

The couple have now separated and the whole village is aware of Tom's heinous actions but whether Belle will see justice remains in question. It has been officially announced that the story will conclude in December, but the details of how this will come about remain uncertain.

Speculation is rife as to Tom's potential exit strategy. Here are our thoughts on the possible dramatic farewell for this character.

One possibility is that Tom King's story might culminate in a dramatic demise during the festive season. The character has already had several brushes with death, escaping each time, but could Christmas spell the end for Tom?

Fan theories abound regarding Tom's seemingly unending nine lives; some of them fervently hope for his storyline to finish with his death. One viewer commented: "Tom the immortal! What's it gonna take to kill him? He's been electrocuted and had an axe in the back... This guy is invincible."

Echoing the sentiment, another added: "Desperate for him to die," with yet another predicting a climactic ending, sharing: "The end is near. I guess it'll end with a bang, well I hope so."

Earlier this week, there was quite the stir when Tom became an inadvertent 'Guy Fawkes' figure for the Dingle family's bonfire. Fans are abuzz with speculation, with one viewer commenting: "Tom's face when he realised it was him on the bonfire!" while another hinted: "Did Emmerdale just hint that Tom's going to die in a fire?"

Revenge may be on the cards for the Dingles against Tom. Known for their tight-knit loyalty, is it possible that one of them could drive Tom out of their lives forever?

Amidst the tension, Cain Dingle (played by Jeff Hordley) has been open about his disdain for Tom's treatment of Belle, and Sam (portrayed by James Hooton) also simmering with anger after learning of Belle's struggles. Could their wrath spell doom for the villainous Tom?

Belle's relationship with her own family hit rock bottom after Tom coerced her into adopting the King surname, an act which both shocked and saddened her. Actress Eden has shed some light on the storyline, explaining Belle's wrenching choice: "Tom doesn't have his parents anymore, and he wants to continue the King family line. I think it is a combination of that."

Will Belle finally receive the justice she truly deserves?

Emmerdale has hinted that Belle's situation will significantly improve by Christmas, leading fans to speculate that he could face imprisonment for his actions towards her.

One viewer expressed on Reddit: "I hope he goes to jail. I'm not interested in him dying. he deserves punishment. I hate when soaps just kill horrible men off instead of giving their victims justice."

A special episode is set to broadcast in December, aiming to share the real-life experiences of domestic abuse victims. Lindsay Oliver, CEO of New Beginnings Peer Support, revealed: "When Emmerdale explained they hoped to include the real-life testimonies of domestic abuse victims and survivors within these scenes, we knew it would be the truest way for them, to authentically close this storyline. We have been on board with this story since 2023, when Emmerdale first approached us about depicting a cohesive and controlling relationship on the series.

"We are pleased Emmerdale have highlighted and are continuing to showcase this issue right to the end. And we hope these final episodes will continue to raise awareness about domestic abuse, controlling relationships and the fact there is help out there."

So, when will Tom depart from Emmerdale? It has been confirmed that the storyline will reach its climax - likely resulting in Tom's departure - in December this year.

Emmerdale Producer Laura Shaw disclosed: "When we first embarked on this journey, we knew we wanted to show domestic abuse, coercive control, and manipulation in all its guises.

"The privilege we have on a drama such as Emmerdale is being able to show the reality of a situation like Belle's over a longer period of time to authentically reflect what so many people go through in real life on a daily basis."

She added: "We knew from the outset that Belle would need some sort of closure on Tom, and we know our Emmerdale audience always look forward to our villains getting their comeuppance. We don't want to spoil the outcome of this story and reveal what will happen to Tom, but needless to say, Belle's going to be in a much better place by this Christmas."

*Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.