8 November 2024
'Emmerdale' will honour survivors of domestic abuse with a one-hour special episode next month.
Eden Taylor-Draper who plays Belle Dingle
The soap have confirmed the coercive control storyline involving Belle Dingle ( Eden Taylor-Draper) and Tom King (James Chase) is coming to an end following the wedding planner's decision to report her husband to the police, and the show will break from its usual format in the special by sharing real stories.
Producer Laura Shaw said in a statement: "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.
"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."
Lindsay Oliver, CEO of domestic abuse charity New Beginnings Peer Support, said the organisation are "pleased" with the way the soap has shone a spotlight in the issue.
She said: "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."
English (US) ·