Emmerdale announces another special Tom and Belle episode
The following article references domestic violence and coercive control.
Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Emmerdale has announced that another special Tom and Belle episode will be airing soon.
Producer Sophie Roper has told Digital Spy and other media that the Kings will be headed to Wales following Tom's latest lies.
Earlier this week, viewers saw Tom secretly agreeing to a job interview in Wales — though he will manipulate Belle by claiming the relocation won't be permanent.
In previewing this episode set outside of Emmerdale, Roper revealed that the soap's production team recreated a Welsh landscape in Yorkshire.
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"Belle and Tom is obviously a huge storyline for us at the moment. It's an incredibly important, if not difficult, storyline to watch at moments," the producer told us. "It's resonating with our audience, because of course it's such a huge, real issue. We'll continue with that story, trying to be really truthful to those kinds of relationships."
Roper continued: "We've got a special episode coming up that sees Tom and Belle head off to Wales on a trip away together. Actually, we recreated Wales in Yorkshire! Our fantastic design team [did it]. We've got a cottage up in the village, which we've re-dressed and made this beautiful Welsh retreat. So it's really fantastic, the lengths they've gone to, to create that within our world.
"The story of course, though, set to the backdrop of this beautiful cottage will be really hard-hitting and difficult at moments. Tom is very much isolating Belle from her family, from her surroundings, from everything she knows and loves, which is very much unfortunately a typical trait of abusers and people who are trying to isolate their victim from their family.
"So it will be difficult drama but a really important message and really important story that we're keen to continue to tell."
Related: Emmerdale's Matty Barton to face dangerous prison incident
The soap previously aired a special episode centred around Tom and Belle in May, when they hosted a dinner party for Marlon and Rhona where disturbing secrets were unearthed.
Since that time, Tom accidentally electrocuted himself in a fit of anger after discovering Belle secretly had an abortion.
The villain has been using a wheelchair since his accident, yet viewers now know he's perfectly capable of walking whenever Belle isn't around.
Belle's family — especially Charity Dingle — are starting to become suspicious of Tom, even though the abuser has been successful in isolating Belle from the other Dingles thus far.
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
Read more Emmerdale spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk), New Beginnings Peer Support (www.newbeginningspeersupport.com) and Women's Aid (www.womensaid.org.uk) can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text LOVEIS to 22522.
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