Emmerdale villain Tom King is set to return to the ITV soap after being convicted for his campaign of abuse towards Belle Dingle, with actor James Chase teasing that he is back on set and filming.
James Chase joined Emmerdale as Tom in 2023, where his character began a relationship with Belle Dingle. Although the pair seemed happy at first, things soon turned sour after their wedding day.
A Vicious Campaign of Abuse
In harrowing scenes, Tom ran a vicious campaign of abuse against Belle, isolating her and manipulating her at every turn. He became physically violent on several occasions, including one scene where he ran her arm under scalding hot water after discovering she had been taking her birth control.
Tom also attacked Belle before she managed to make a run for it with a hunting rifle, with Tom swiftly following wielding an axe. As she hid, Tom hacked the door down. She tried to shoot him but the safety lock was on, which he instantly removed and held the gun to her head. In a moment of panic, she struck him in the back with the axe as he fell onto the floor.
Tom's Return and Parole
In December, Belle received justice as the villain was sentenced to three years in prison after subjecting Belle to assault and coercive control. However, the ITV soap recently confirmed that Belle's nightmare isn't over yet as Tom King is set to return to the Dales. Tom is up for parole, and his unexpected return in Belle's life threatens to reopen old wounds and inflict fresh trauma on Belle.
Can the Dingles find a way to keep Belle's abuser behind bars, and will Belle find the strength to keep free from Tom's psychological grip, or will he succeed in manipulating those around her once again?
James Chase's Chilling Tease
Taking to his Instagram, James made a chilling remark of "not long now..." followed by devil-faced emojis as he's back in an Emmerdale dressing room on set. Teasing his return, he said: "Stepping back into Tom's shoes is a responsibility I don't take lightly. He is a character driven by obsession and a desperate need for control, and it is both fascinating and challenging to step back into that mindset."
"The audience knows exactly who he is and what he is capable of, so the challenge now is to show the lengths he is willing to go to in order to get what he wants, even if it means dismantling Belle's life all over again. It's a dark path, and I'm ready to see how far Tom will push it."
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX and YouTube.
