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Tag: James Chase

  • Fans rush to applaud Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase as Tom’s comeuppance is aired

    Fans rush to applaud Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase as Tom’s comeuppance is aired

    The Emmerdale cast is full of talented actors who are able to impress the viewers all through the year. But two actors in particular have been getting a heap of praise after last night’s episode (Thursday, December 19).

    Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase, who play Belle Dingle and Tom King, have been inundated with support and applauds from the audience as their domestic violence storyline came to an end.

    Belle / Tom serious Emmerdale
    Fans praise Eden and James’ performances on the soap (Credit: ITV)

    James and Eden have played the storyline successfully

    James made his debut on the soap in March 2023. Since then he has played the villainous Tom King exceptionally well, making viewers genuinely believe every word he said.

    As for Eden, she has been a part of the Emmerdale cast since she was eight years old, and she never disappoints.

    Together, the pair have created a lasting effect on the viewers, and their powerful performances will not be forgotten. And hopefully will win them very deserved awards.

    Last night saw the jury find Tom guilty on all charges, and sentenced him to three years in prison. And while many believe that was too little, it’s unfortunately the harsh reality that Emmerdale were trying to portray.

    After last night’s episode, many fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to applaud both actors for their performances.

    James Chase and Eden Taylor-Draper discuss Tom's ending
    Despite their storyline, the Emmerdale cast are friends off-screen (Credit: ITV / YouTube)

    Fans praise the Emmerdale cast members

    One wrote: “Fair play to James for playing the character so so well. Every time Tom came on my screen, I wanted to throw my remote at the TV. Amazing work.”

    Another added: “Never, ever thought I would cry at an episode of Emmerdale – but WOW! Coercive and domestic abuse storyline brilliantly played by Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase. Hopefully, well deserved awards coming their way.”

    A third penned: “Not one to usually tweet about soaps. But a fulfilling conclusion to an important storyline on Emmerdale. Eden and James have portrayed the characters and storyline incredibly well over the course of the year. Both of them are incredible actors.”

    “Eden is out doing herself tonight – absolutely phenomenal. And James is delivering an amazingly evil manipulative performance by Tom. Well done to both. And well done Emmerdale for this storyline.”

    With Tom in prison, we can only imagine that Belle is about to go on a whole other journey of recovering, and trying to look at the future. And we’re sure Eden will continue to do wonderfully.

    As for James, Tom may have left the village, but he isn’t ruling out a potential return one day.

    Read more: Emmerdale is the soap with the most Ofcom complaints 2024

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release on ITVX at 7am. 

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.

    Follow our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. Let us know your thoughts!

  • Tom King has left Emmerdale, but actor James Chase reveals it might not be for good

    Tom King has left Emmerdale, but actor James Chase reveals it might not be for good

    Tom King has been found guilty of assaulting and coercively controlling wife Belle Dingle in Emmerdale. He is off to prison for three years.

    James Chase, who plays Tom, has left the soap – but he hasn’t ruled out a future return.

    Tom was found guilty in court with the Dingles watching on (Credit: ITV)
    Tom was found guilty in court with the Dingles watching on (Credit: ITV)

    Tom King goes to prison in Emmerdale

    After tense trial scenes on Thursday night (December 19) Tom was found guilty by the jury and given a sentence of three years in prison. Belle sobbed as he was lead away from court and they shared a final look.

    Actor James Chase has now left Emmerdale and has spoken out about Tom’s ending.

    He said: “It would have been understandable if the story had ended up with Cain taking matters into his own hands, but this way offers more closure.

    “I’m glad we didn’t go down [the Cain killer] route as in some way, I think it would have been stooping to a level similar to Tom if they had done that. So I think it’s better that it went down the law abiding route with it. It keeps Belle clear and she keeps her innocence, and she doesn’t become pessimistic like he is.”

    Tom was taken away (Credit: ITV)
    Tom was taken away (Credit: ITV)

    Not the end of Tom in Emmerdale?

    However James also revealed that because Tom’s sentence is quite a short one, but sadly realistic, he would be open to revisiting the character or the story further down the line.

    “I think, with good behaviour, he’s only going to get something like 16 to 18 months, which is crazy,” James said.

    “But I think it would depend where they would want to go with the character, because there are many different avenues you could go with it. They could make it that Tom potentially had got even worse, and hasn’t changed at all. Perhaps, he could hate Belle even more for it.

    “Or if he did go the other way and finally did realise the terrible things he’s done, and perhaps did, actually start to try to become a better man.”

    Will Belle suffer more at Tom's hands (Credit: ITV)
    Will Belle suffer more at Tom’s hands (Credit: ITV)

    A changed man?

    But can a leopard really change its spots? James reckons prison might be the only way for him to admit who he really is.

    “I think he’ll struggle being in prison, definitely,” the actor said. “But I think through that struggle, it will humble him, and he’ll hit rock bottom.”

    “I think it could be the best thing for him, because of how tough it’s going to be for him inside. It may make him come out, having realised what he’s done and not take things for granted.”

    So could a reformed Tom make a return? Or a vengeful one wanting to have the final say?

    Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

    Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside

     

  • Emmerdale star James Chase reveals all about Tom King’s comeuppance: ‘His mask has slipped, but there’s more to come’

    Emmerdale star James Chase reveals all about Tom King’s comeuppance: ‘His mask has slipped, but there’s more to come’

    Emmerdale star James Chase has spilled the beans about what happens as Tom King’s campaign of control against wife Belle Dingle comes to an end after months of abuse.

    Nicola is convinced that the Dingles are right about Tom, and the rest of the village have turned against him, meaning Tom’s only allies are girlfriend Amelia and uncle Jimmy.

    But even those loyal supporters are about to wonder if  Tom’s really as nice as he’s pretending to be!

    We sat down for a chat with Emmerdale star James, who plays evil Tom, to find out what happens as his alter ego’s nice-guy persona begins to crumble.

    Nicola, Amelia and Tom
    Tom ropes Amelia into trying to persuade Nicola she’s wrong (Credit: ITV)

    Persuading Nicola

    With Nicola not budging, Tom’s determined to make her see that he’s an ‘innocent victim’ despite him being guilty of everything Belle’s accused him of!

    So how is he going to talk Nicola into believing him? Well, he ropes Amelia in to help him!

    “I think Tom is definitely pressured when he is trying to convince Nicola that he is genuine about everything that he is saying,” James tells us.

    ” I think in a weird way Tom does thrive under pressure and 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.”

    Nicola looking dubious
    Nicola isn’t convinced! (Credit: ITV)

    Tom plans to move away in Emmerdale

    But despite Tom loving the drama, things don’t go well and Nicola is far too savvy to be convinced by his attempt to win her over with Amelia’s help.

    And we know Tom doesn’t like it when things don’t go his way! So how does he react?

    “I think Tom is surprised at first that he hasn’t managed to win her over because he has succeeded every other time and with every other person he has tried to convince before,” reveals James. “But I think he’s very quick to then move onto the next thing. Thinking how do I move on to a scenario where I am going to win?”

    Tom’s next move is to suggest to Amelia they they move away together. What’s the plan there?

    “It’s partly because he is hated in the village!” admits James. “But also it’s like when he went away to Wales with Belle, it was a way for him to fully control her and to have her to himself. Essentially the less people around that Amelia knows, the more she is going to have to rely on him and I think he quite enjoys that.”

    Tom King [JAMES CHASE] slips in through the back door. Creeping around unnoticed, Tom discreetly steals one of Belle's tops before leaving.
    Tom steals one of Belle’s tops (Credit: ITV)

    Tom messes with Belle’s head in Emmerdale

    With the walls closing in, Tom steps up his scheme to mess with Belle’s head. He steals one of her tops and gives it to Amelia. Creepy!

    “It’s all about getting her in the worst state possible so he can selfishly benefit,” explains James. “He knows he’s grinding her down when he knows she’s seen Amelia in her clothes.”

    And that’s when things fall apart! Belle tells Amelia that the jumper is hers, and Amelia asks questions.

    “Tom is really cross,” says James.  “He berates Amelia immediately. His mask has slipped! He drags Amelia out into the street.”

    Tom, Nicola and Jimmy on the street in Emmerdale
    Tom’s mask is slipping (Credit: ITV)

    The mask is slipping!

    But Jimmy’s there and he sees what Tom’s up to!  And with perfect timing, it’s when the police arrive, too, to question Tom.

    He’s taken in for questioning by DS Foy. How does that go?

    “He tries to keep his cards close to his chest because at the end of the day unless it’s actual evidence they have, Tom is going to deny it – as it’s in his interest to do that. In the interview room he attempts to manipulate the situation and tries to show to DS Foy he is actually the victim. Tom is doing that as much as possible to try and look innocent.”

    And meanwhile, Jimmy is reeling from seeing Tom dragging Amelia out of the house. So will he realise Tom’s been lying?

    “It’s only a matter of time,” says James. “I think Jimmy will have to start reading the writing on the wall at some point. Of course his uncle Jimmy doesn’t want to believe that Tom is a bad man but eventually Tom fears Jimmy will realise the truth.”

    But despite all this, Tom still thinks he can get away with it even though the police are onto him!

    “He has a sort of God complex,” says James. “Tom is cunning, conniving and clever – and I would kind of compare him to Littlefinger from Game of Thrones. He’s good at manipulation. He’s good at turning people on each other for his own benefit. He enjoys playing people and playing scenarios. He has no empathy or morality.”

    Tom looked stressed in the interview room (Credit: ITV)
    Tom is still playing the victim (Credit: ITV)

    Tom plays the victim in Emmerdale

    “There are things that have happened like the axe going in Tom’s back and of course he has eye witnesses of people who saw Belle pushing him over,” James reveals. “He thinks he’s got a lot of ammunition against her. He wants to win and believes he still can.”

    It’s no secret that this storyline is coming to an end, and James will be saying goodbye to Emmerdale.

    So how has the experience been?

    “I feel very proud of the people I’ve worked with,” says James. “The scenes with the burning of the guy – and then squaring up to the Dingles was a lot of fun. It’s been a lot of fun working with Daisy (Campbell, who plays Amelia). It has been an amazing storyline, it has been intense – a real rollercoaster of emotions but it’s been amazing. I’m really proud of what we have done. Eden Taylor-Draper (AKA Belle) has been totally amazing. There is more to come!

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

    Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside

  • Tom King in Emmerdale: Troubled teen turned stalker and domestic abuser!

    Tom King in Emmerdale: Troubled teen turned stalker and domestic abuser!

    Tom King in Emmerdale is quickly becoming one of the show’s nastiest baddies ever as he torments his new wife Belle Dingle.

    It’s hard to believe it’s less than a year since he arrived in the village to take the job at the vet’s, much to the surprise of the Emmerdale residents who knew him when he was younger.

    So what’s Tom’s story? Here’s the lowdown on his shocking behaviour towards his wife – and his dodgy family background that means the way he’s treating poor Belle isn’t really a surprise!

    Belle Dingle looks scared as Tom puts his hands on her knees and pleads with her
    Belle is in danger from her husband Tom (Credit: BBC)

    Tom King arrives in Emmerdale

    Tom, who called himself Thomas back then, arrived in the village in 2004 with his sister Anya. They were Carl King’s kids, with his ex-wife Colleen. And we have to be honest – they were pretty troublesome!

    But what do you expect?

    In case you’d forgotten, the whole King clan were pretty murky and Carl was the worst of the lot. He was a cheat and he murdered his own dad – who was also called Tom.

    Not a nice person!

    The older Tom King was also a master manipulator, his son Matthew was ruthless, and even Jimmy – the only surviving one of the four King brothers – has his dark side.

    Matthew King Bursts in at the Last Minute Held Back by Carl King
    The King family were always trouble! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Tom and Anya

    So Tom and his younger sister came and went a few times, between 2004 and 2009, flitting between visiting their dad and their mum.

    Then they came back again for their dad’s engagement to Lexi Nicholls. By 2010, they were staying in the village full time as their mum had to care for their injured stepfather – though they were still up to no good, and caused trouble for Edna Birch, and Ashley and Laurel Thomas.

    Later Anya and Tom went to live in Saudi Arabia with their mum. But it wasn’t long before Tom returned, this time for his dad’s wedding to Chas Dingle.

    The wedding ended in drama when Chas jilted Carl at the altar, knowing he’d been cheating with Eve Jenson. Carl and Tom both went to to Saudi Arabia.

    Tom, Anya and Edna Birch in the vets in Emmerdale
    Thomas and Anya tormented poor Edna (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Tom King hits out over Carl’s murder in Emmerdale

    When Carl was murdered by Cameron Murray, at first everyone – including Chas herself – believed she was the killer. Chas was even in prison for a while. She’d hit Carl over the head with a brick when he tried to rape her – but it was serial killer Cameron who finished him off!

    Cain told Tom the truth about his dad. He was upset and blurted out that his dad was a rapist at the funeral service.

    It was Edna, who Tom had previously tormented, who gave the troubled teen a shoulder to cry on.

    Thomas King with his family at dad Carl's funeral
    Tom had an outburst at dad Carl’s funeral (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Tom King the stalker

    In early  2013 Chas Dingle’s life was made a misery by a creepy stalker who was sending her photos of her and Carl in the post, with her eyes scratched out. She was getting dodgy phone calls and generally her life was miserable.

    And it turned out her stalker was Tom King, who’d secretly come back to Emmerdale!

    He told everyone he wanted revenge on Chas for killing his dad – as everyone still believed to be true at the time – and persuaded his Uncle Jimmy to let him stay in the village.

    Tom and Belle part one

    Belle had a thumping great crush on Tom and even posed for provocative pics to entice him. They shared a kiss at Sandy Thomas’s 80th birthday party, but Belle’s parents, and Jimmy and Nicola weren’t happy about the romance.

    So of course the teenagers found a way to see each other anyway! And when the truth was revealed – thanks to Tom kissing Belle in front of her furious dad, Zak – they decided to run away.

    Belle and Tom beside Dan's stolen camper van
    Belle and Tom planned to run away together (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Runaway lovers!

    The pair stole Dan’s camper van and fled. But Belle’s mum Lisa was convinced Tom had abducted Belle, and reported him to the police.

    When Belle told Tom that his dad was in the van the night he died, he got upset and drove back to the village. Belle went home, but Tom drove away again. The van was found at the airport and later Jimmy discovered Tom had gone back to his mum in Saudi Arabia.

    And that was the last we heard of Tom King until he showed up in the village again last year.

    If only the Dingles had remembered Tom’s past history with their family, instead of welcoming him into their lives again with open arms, eh?!

    Belle Dingle looks really worried
    Things haven’t worked out as Belle hoped (Credit: ITV)

    Tom’s abuse of Belle

    Viewers have watched in horror as Tom’s controlling and punishing treatment of Belle has grown increasingly sinister and violent.

    He’s turned poor Belle into a shadow of herself, doubting her own instincts and terrified of her husband. And now he knows Belle terminated her pregnancy, he’s planning revenge. He wants to drag her off to the deepest depths of Wales to isolate her even further.

    Belle has realised the extent of his abuse, but will she find the courage to act on it?

    Who plays Tom King in Emmerdale?

    Tom is played by actor James Chase. When he first arrived in the noughties as a small boy, he was played first by Jack Ferguson, then by Connor Hill.

    When Tom – who then called himself Thomas – came back to Emmerdale as a troubled teenager for a longer stint, he was played by Mark Flanagan.

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.30pm and 2.05pm.

  • James Chase admits: ‘He can’t get away with it’ as he eyes end of Tom abuse storyline

    James Chase admits: ‘He can’t get away with it’ as he eyes end of Tom abuse storyline

    Tom King in Emmerdale is one evil guy. Controlling and abusing wife Belle, he is becoming more and more intense as he tries to make sure she is totally and utterly under his spell.

    We know there’s even more to come as producer Laura Shaw has confirmed the storyline will run until the end of the year.

    And actor James Chase has some thoughts on exactly what he thinks should happen – and how Tom should get his comeuppance.

    Belle cowers as Tom raises his hand to hit her
    Tom is awful (Credit: ITV)

    James Chase knows Tom ‘has a shelf life’

    James Chase revealed to Entertainment Daily that he always knew Tom has a “shelf life”.

    He added: “He can’t get away with it.”

    James is very clear that Belle needs to see her husband punished for what he’s put her through.

    “She needs justice for what happened to her and I think also the viewer needs that. From all the hell we’ve seen Belle get put through, we have to see her win in the end or at the very least, for him to lose.”

    James continued to say Tom needs to go to “prison at least”. But he also revealed he is keen for his sister to return to the village. Tom’s sibling, Anya, hasn’t been seen or mentioned much since his return. However James has admitted: “I’ve always wondered about his sister.

    “It would be interesting to see how he’d react to that. Obviously he’s said in the past that he isn’t that close to her anyway but it would be interesting just to see how he would react and if it would change anything in anyway.”

    Does Anya know something about Tom’s behaviour? Is that why he keeps her at arm’s length? And could she be the key to exposing Belle?

    Tom and Belle arguing in the village in Emmerdale
    Tom has put Belle through hell (Credit: ITV)

    Tom King’s abuse of Belle in Emmerdale

    Belle is a shell of her former self since marrying Tom. She realised on her wedding night she had made a terrible mistake after his nasty outburst about her family. She ended up sleeping on the sofa.

    However, Belle has desperately been trying to make it work and keep the peace. Constantly giving in to him and never standing up to him, Belle has allowed him to control every aspect of her life. He has stopped her working, is isolating her from her family and has even sold her car and taken control of their finances.

    Recently, Belle found out she was pregnant. She hadn’t wanted to start a family yet – knowing Tom is not the ideal dad and also fearing for her own mental health. Tom, however, is desperate to be a father and despite Belle’s pleas to keep the news quiet, of course announced it to anyone who’d listen.

    Belle knew she couldn’t go through with the pregnancy and made an appointment at an abortion clinic. She discovered Tom was tracking her every move so realised she had to be cunning to keep her termination plans a secret.

    But can she cover her tracks enough? Or will she get caught out in the end? And what will Tom do when he does find out?

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.