Emmerdale’s Belle Dingle ‘set for romantic reunion’ with ex-boyfriend and fans are delighted

Emmerdale fans are convinced they’ve worked out Belle Dingle’s next romantic interest, and it appears to be a blast from the past.

Soap viewers will know that Belle has had a tumultuous year, having endured domestic abuse at the hands of her spouse, Tom King.

The pair tied the knot in February 2024, but it wasn’t long before Tom’s sinister side came to light. Tom subjected Belle to months of physical and emotional torment, with his manipulative and violent tendencies escalating alarmingly.

In September 2024, Belle confided in her family about the abuse she was suffering under Tom. Despite her revelations, Tom still managed to retain the backing of his closest family, including his uncle Jimmy, reports Leicestershire Live.

Charges of assault and coercive control were soon levelled against Tom, culminating in a dramatic courtroom showdown in December where he was found guilty.

“I believe you have demonstrated no remorse for your actions and you have no inclination to change your ways. Therefore I impose a custodial sentence of three years,” declared the judge.

Since Tom’s sentencing, Belle has been striving to rebuild her life, resuming her role at Take a Vow after being coerced into leaving. Following the tragic deaths of her colleagues Leyla Harding and Suzy Merton in the limo crash, Belle has stepped up to take charge of the business.

Last week, Billy Fletcher revealed to his estranged wife Dawn that he was planning on taking the children to visit his brother Ellis Chapman in London.

“Ellis is over for a few days but he can’t come and visit, so I said that we’d go down there instead,” Billy explained.

Ellis and Belle had a whirlwind romance back in 2019, but it was short-lived as Ellis suspected Belle of having feelings for someone else, leading to a brief split. They eventually reunited, but opted to keep their relationship under wraps.

However, their love story came to an end when Ellis relocated to Brisbane for work in 2022.

Following Billy’s recent London trip, speculation is rife among Emmerdale fans that Ellis might make a comeback to the village to rekindle his romance with Belle.

On a Facebook fan page, one fan mused: “Billy mentioned going to see his brother Ellis in London. Do you think the writers are going to bring him back to rekindle a relationship with Belle???”

Another fan chimed in: “Aah, now he would be nice for Belle. I struggle to think of a nice man for her. Especially since the man I wanted for her (Vinny) turned out to be her nephew,” while a third fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “This would be great.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX