December 18th 2024.
Denise Welch, a talented soap actor, has expressed her gratitude for being a part of the final chapter of Tom King's dramatic storyline on the popular soap opera. In the upcoming episode, Tom will finally face the consequences of his abusive and controlling behavior towards his wife, Belle Dingle, who bravely reported him to the police after enduring it for over a year.
The hour-long special will not only showcase Tom's downfall but also shed light on the real-life experiences of domestic abuse victims and survivors. Denise, who has been a panelist on the talk show Loose Women for many years, will tick off the last box on her soap bucket list as she takes on the role of a jury member. Soap fans may remember her for her feisty character Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street, as well as for her roles in Hollyoaks, EastEnders, and Waterloo Road. In fact, she will be reprising her role as Steph Haydock in an upcoming series next year.
Reflecting on her role in the upcoming episode, Denise shared her excitement, saying, "I thoroughly enjoyed shooting this important episode of Emmerdale. Like many, I have been gripped by the Belle and Tom storyline, so to play a head juror in the story's culmination was an honor." She also mentioned that parts of the script were inspired by real-life cases, and the charity Refuge was involved in the research. Denise added, "My character Heidi was emotionally involved, and I felt that she may have experienced some form of domestic abuse herself."
The episode will also feature Casualty's Charles Dale as Karl and Bad Girls actor Jack Ellis as a member of the jury. Denise shared her experience of working with them, saying, "To share the jury scenes with Charlie Dale and Jack Ellis and to see many of my Emmerdale friends made it a memorable job." Charles and Denise have previously worked together in Coronation Street, where he played Janice Battersby's boyfriend towards the end of her stint.
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw explained that when they first decided to tackle the issue of domestic abuse, they wanted to showcase it in all its forms, including coercive control and manipulation. She added, "The privilege we have on a drama like Emmerdale is being able to show the reality of a situation like Belle's over a longer period of time, to authentically reflect what so many people go through in real life on a daily basis."
Laura also shared that they knew Belle would need closure on Tom's storyline, and they also understand the audience's satisfaction in seeing villains get their comeuppance. However, she did not want to spoil the outcome of the story and reveal what happens to Tom, but she assured fans that Belle will be in a much better place by Christmas.
In addition, the episode will also address the issue of facing domestic abuse and the importance of speaking out. As part of their Facing it Together campaign, Loose Women has been successful in raising awareness about different forms of abuse, including coercive control. Soap fans can join the community on Metro's WhatsApp to get access to exclusive interviews, must-watch videos, and spoiler galleries. Simply click on the link and select 'Join Chat' to join the group. Don't forget to turn on notifications to stay updated on the latest spoilers.
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