Emmerdale: Tom King to Exit in "Dramatic" Fashion
Emmerdale actor James Chase, who plays the manipulative Tom King, is reportedly set to depart the ITV soap later this year. His exit comes after a year of playing a central role in a gripping coercive control storyline, which has seen his character abuse his wife Belle Dingle (played by Eden Taylor-Draper).
The storyline reached a dramatic climax earlier this week when Belle fled from a holiday with Tom in Wales. In harrowing scenes, Tom has since convinced Belle's family that she's not taking her medication and even threatened to kill her.
According to The Sun, Chase will leave Emmerdale in a "dramatic" fashion, bringing Tom's reign of terror to an end.
"It's the right time to leave," a source told the publication. "James has loved his time on the show playing such a powerful story but the truth is that characters like Tom have a shelf life for a reason. There's no long-term redemption for Tom coming â he has to leave one way or the other. And either way it will be dramatic."
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Emmerdale for comment.
The news of Chase's departure follows earlier confirmation that the Belle and Tom storyline would continue until the end of the year.
"We said right from the beginning that we wanted to tell this story as authentically and truthfully as we can," said Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw. "Let's face it, for people who are subjected to domestic abuse this isn't something that's over in a couple of weeks, it's something that goes on for a long length of time and we wanted to be truthful to that. I think you can expect that this storyline is going to run until the end of this year."
The decision to have Tom leave Emmerdale will no doubt come as a relief to many viewers who have been deeply affected by the harrowing storyline. The soap has been commended for its realistic portrayal of coercive control, and for raising awareness of this often-hidden issue.
If you are affected by domestic abuse, please reach out for help. You are not alone.
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Refuge: 0808 2000 247
Women's Aid: 0808 2000 247
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV at 7:30pm.
