Exclusive: Emmerdale star reveals who supports Belle as evil Tom King returns

Emmerdale star Emma Atkins has reassured fans over Belle Dingle's future as the show prepares to reintroduce evil Tom King.

Emma revealed that her character Charity will be among those supporting Belle – along with the rest of the Dingle family – as she's forced to face haunting reminders of her past.

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Earlier this week, Emmerdale announced plans for James Chase to reprise his role as Belle's abusive husband Tom, who's been serving a prison sentence since the end of 2024.

Upcoming scenes see Tom come up for parole – and the Dingles quickly realise that they'll have a fight on their hands to keep him away from Belle.

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy at the Inside Soap Awards 2026, Emma revealed that Charity and Belle's storylines will tie together in the coming months. Charity has her own healing journey ahead after she was sexually assaulted by Dr Todd earlier this year.

Emma told us: "Charity needs time to heal and that's also a beautiful journey. It doesn't have to be all chaotic and crazy. She needs that time to talk to people and there's a lot of lovely scenes coming up with Belle and Charity.

"They have a connection because they've been through similar kinds of trauma. With anything at the hands of abuse, you have to build yourself back up because it makes you very vulnerable and your confidence has gone, but I've loved the storyline."

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She continued: "Belle needs somebody that she can relate to – and Charity's been through an awful lot herself. She's just like: 'We will be your rock. The Dingles will hold you, we'll carry you, you'll never be alone, don't worry'.

"But obviously, we are all worried because of how manipulative and clever Tom could be – he made us all think that he was amazing when there was a lot more going on.

"I think there's going to be some gorgeous moments between the two of them [Charity and Belle]."

Tom was written out as an Emmerdale regular at the end of 2024 and returned for a brief guest appearance in February 2025, when Belle visited him in prison.

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James recently 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 producer Laura Shaw added: "James's 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."

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.

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