Emmerdale confirms return of evil Tom King as James Chase reprises role in new chapter of Belle Dingle story

James Chase is reprising his Tom King role in Emmerdale later this year.

The ITV soap has teased that the village is set for a "chilling shake-up" upon the abuser's return.

Between 2023 and 2024, fans of the ITV soap watched in horror as vile Tom physically, verbally and psychologically abused his wife Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper).

Despite initial warning signs during their engagement, she proceeded with their wedding. His behaviour spiralled from cruel comments to forcing her to have sex with him, before turning violent and leaving Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson) for dead.

He smashed late mother Lisa's urn, faked the death of their beloved family pet Piper and recorded her every move using hidden CCTV cameras that he planted in her house.

Tom was eventually sent down for three years for the assault and coercive control of Belle.

She's finally moved on and found a good man in Kammy Hadiq (Shebz Miah), though their happiness is about to be upended when they hear that Tom is up for parole. His comeback will threaten to reopen old wounds for poor Belle.

While exact details of the story are yet to be announced, we do know that the Dingles will fight to keep him behind bars and prevent him from manipulating Belle once again.

Speaking of the plot, Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said: “James’ return isn’t just about bringing back a familiar face; it’s about reigniting a complex and challenging story.

"When Belle gets the news that Tom is up for parole she's forced to confront a trauma she battled hard to overcome. With her family and new partner Kammy by her side, we explore the lasting impact of Tom's abusive actions on Belle as she fights to keep Tom away from the village.”

Chase added: “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.”

Read more:

• Emmerdale star teases "rocky road" for Sarah Sugden - and reveals hopes for Debbie Dingle return
• Emmerdale airs dangerous Sadie King and Robert Sugden alliance in early ITVX release
• Emmerdale legend confirms clashes between Cain Dingle and Sadie King amid dramatic comeback

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.

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Authors

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.