Belle Dingle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) worst nightmare comes true when she discovers she’s pregnant in Emmerdale.
Belle’s recently been back with her mental health crisis unit over fears she was relapsing, little did she know it was because Tom King (James Chase) had been playing mind games with her. The thought of now having a baby when she feels unstable is terrifying.
Add to that the fact she has a deeply unsettling feeling about her husband, and it all leads to Belle keeping her pregnancy secret when she first finds out.
She goes as far as to feign an illness to throw Tom and Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) off the scent. Only nurse Wendy Posner (Susan Cookson) knows the truth, and is concerned that Belle wants to keep it to herself.
Actress Eden Taylor-Draper told Metro.co.uk: ‘She [Wendy] looks a bit concerned that Belle hasn’t told Tom yet and can tell something is wrong but then Tom gets home.’
Belle needs time to decide what she wants to do, and she enlists Wendy’s help to get her to see a doctor and find out what her options are. Belle is also afraid that Tom has not changed one bit despite his promises.
She’s right to be scared. Tom’s true colours come shining through again when he is immediately irked that Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) gives him an earful about selling Belle’s car without his knowledge. Tom takes this ire back to Belle and gives her a blast. He lays into her, probing her as to what she’s told Cain.
His fury burns white hot as he once again turns violent towards his wife, ready to give her a vicious beating. Belle cowers and braces for impact, but instinctively blurts out that she’s pregnant.
Eden reveals the sad truth: ‘So she only tells him to stop him hitting her. She didn’t mean to tell him.’
This jolts Tom into one of his other personalities and bursts into tears, with the sudden change leaving Belle crying her own tears – of fear.
They head out for a walk with Piper, with Belle sceptical that Tom really does plan to change. He seems sincere, and Belle allows herself to believe that maybe this really is a fresh start.
Which means she’s not ready to tell anyone about the frightening situation she’s in.
‘I don’t think she’s quite there yet,’ Eden shared. ‘I think he’s manipulating the situations cleverly so she is full of self doubt and not confident there is anything actually wrong that he is doing to her.’
But it’s not long before Belle’s misgivings are proven right. She swears him to secrecy, but before she knows it, he’s told Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry). Then Jimmy King (Nick Miles) offers his congratulations. Belle feels violated but manages to keep her anger to herself.
‘Belle knew he would do this,’ Eden confessed. ‘I think that is why she just wanted to have some time – to put the brakes on a bit. She is aghast when she walks into the cafe and Jimmy, Nicola, Paddy are all congratulating her.’
Belle is still not convinced she wants this baby, but Eden has sadly revealed that Belle won’t be leaving her current situation any time soon as she revealed to us that the storyline has a long way to go yet.
‘It is a huge honour to be given such a big storyline. I feel so glad that we are portraying it in a timeline that is realistic and I’m very passionate about doing it right,’ she said.
‘I am grateful to Emmerdale for this opportunity.’
