Next week on Emmerdale, Belle gets a glimpse of what the future could hold, Will’s tormentor means business, Moira lashes out, and Nate drops a bombshell on Tracy.
1) Belle fears for Amelia
Belle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) battle against abusive ex-husband Tom (James Chase) takes an unexpected turn next week, when she’s horrified to learn that he is in a new relationship.
Belle has recently taken the step of submitting an application to the police under Clare’s Law in order to ascertain whether Tom has any previous history of violence, unaware that her every move in both her home and on her laptop has been under Tom’s surveillance.
Next week Belle is disappointed when she gets a response from the police.
“When the email arrives she discovers her application has been unsuccessful and there will be no disclosure,” Eden Taylor-Draper reveals.
“This is really disappointing. She was hoping it would have turned up a different result. She feels winded – thwarted at every turn.”
Simultaneously, whilst logged in to spy on Belle, Tom is delighted by the result and takes much satisfaction in Belle’s distress.
When the two later cross paths in the shop, Tom cannot help but subtly gloat in order to let Belle know that he’ll always be one step ahead.
“When he makes that snide comment and she realises he’s hacked into her laptop and I think that’s huge,” Eden continues. “Because obviously she knows what he’s capable of but this is on another level.
“This is something that came up in the meetings we had with [domestic abuse charity] Refuge. This level of tech abuse is becoming more and more common in abusive relationships. So I think it’s brilliant that we show that.”
Belle freezes when Tom then reminds her that, through her laptop, he has access to some rather revealing photos that he could share with the wider world if he chose to.
When she returns home, she’s distraught to find that the password to the folder containing said photos no longer works, Tom must have changed it!
Belle decides she needs to try and play Tom at his own game, stealing his tablet in the hope of finding proof of his tech abuse. But when Belle later confronts Tom in The Woolpack, will he manage to gain the upper hand again?
It’s not long before Belle is shocked to learn that Tom is now in a relationship with Amelia (Daisy Campbell). Amelia notes that they have only been a couple of weeks, but Belle is terrified for both Amelia and baby Esther.
“Tom takes her reaction as jealousy and he’s very much – oh here we go – I can win her back, she wants me,” Eden tells us. “But in fact it’s the complete opposite. Belle is just so worried for Amelia’s safety.
“She would do anything to try and stop this happening again but Tom takes her reaction as her still being interested while Amelia thinks she is just obsessed with Tom still.”
ITV
When Belle returns home, she’s despondent to find Tom waiting for her, confirming what she knew—that he had managed to gain a key to the house after she had the locks changed.
“That is a real moment where Belle just thinks this is her life,” Eden adds. “This is how it is going to be for the rest of her life as she doesn’t have the strength to try and get out of it.
“She doesn’t know how she can. I think that that is a really good way to describe it. She is just so worn down at that point that she has almost given up.”
As Belle does her best to try and warn Tom off Amelia, she’s thrown when he moves in close and forcibly kisses her, with the chilling promise that he will never give up on her.
“Not only is he in her space both mentally and physically in that moment that he kisses her,” Eden reveals. “But when she doesn’t respond it turns into something else and I think that is when Belle in her mind just goes – what is going to happen to me – to Amelia – to Tom. And how is this going to end? And that is when it then spirals into Belle’s imagination…”
2) Belle gets a glimpse of her future
On Thursday, viewers will be treated to a special stylised episode which sees Belle struggle with what steps to take next.
As she wanders down Main Street in a trance-like state, Belle’s imagined futures play out before her as she grapples with the potential consequences of whatever choice she makes.
Belle has so far been fearful of speaking out about Tom, and it’s plain to see why when we see the possible horrors that could befall both Belle and the wider community.
“I’m excited for everyone to see this dream episode,” Eden enthuses. “I feel it’s a great representation of what’s going on inside Belle’s mind and the constant fear even though she is no longer “in” the abusive relationship.”
“There is one scene we repeat multiple times throughout the episode. And Belle is always the same but the people around her change clothes, change position or change speed and I think it’s a really good way to mark the start of different sequences in her brain.
“I think it’s a brave way to explore what is going on in her head.. Because you never really see the imagination of a character. So to do a whole episode dedicated to her fears and her worries does feel very special.”
But as she sees the different scenarios play out, will Belle finally be able to find the courage to open up about her abuse, knowing that there could be potentially tragic consequences?
“This is a new page in Belle’s life,” Eden teases. “It is a new chapter. It’s the start of Belle really taking matters into her own hands and finding strength and courage. I think it is very important. Without saying the ending – I really enjoyed what the ending entailed.”
3) Will is blackmailed
Up at Home Farm, the anonymous tormentor sending messages to Will (Dean Andrews) about his dalliance with ex-wife Rose (Christine Tremarco) steps things up a gear.
Originally believing the culprit to have been Lydia (Karen Blick), next week Will is satisfied that it’s actually just Rose herself, playing games.
Jimmy’s (Nick Miles) stunned when Will dials the number and leaves a seething voicemail telling Rose to stop playing games.
But when Will later sees a video showing that Rose is in fact in Ibiza, he realises that the phone he called didn’t have an international dial tone.
Will is shaken, realising that someone else knows and has the potential to rip apart his marriage to Kim (Claire King).
Jimmy later receives a disturbing email on the work account, showing manipulated pornographic images with Will and Rose’s faces plastered on them. Jimmy encourages Will to go the police, but Will doesn’t want to risk Kim finding out.
They soon learn that the anonymous poster means business though when Will received a further video utilising deep fake technology.
His fears that this is more than just some scare tactic is proven, when Will grimly reveals to Jimmy that the tormentor has demanded £10,000 for their silence!
4) Moira lashes out at Ruby
Elsewhere in the village, Moira’s (Natalie J Robb) disturbing behaviour continues, and it’s Ruby (Beth Cordingly) who this time bears the brunt of it.
Cain (Jeff Hordley) had believed that Moira’s erratic moods had been down to her drinking. Meanwhile, Moira and Chas (Lucy Pargeter) have discussed whether it could be the menopause, leading to Moira making an appointment at the surgery where Liam (Jonny McPherson) has booked her in the blood tests to rule out anything more serious.
However it’s become clear to viewers that there is something more serious going on, after Moira suffered a seizure whilst alone in one of the barns at Butlers.
Moira woke up in the barn the next morning and carried on as normal, with only youngest son Isaac (Bobby Dunsmuir) so far privy to what’s been going on.
Next week, when Moira spots Cain and Ruby having some banter at the garage, it sets Moira’s paranoia into overdrive, particularly when she sees Ruby touch Cain’s arm.
Moira barges her way into Mill Cottage and accuses Ruby outright of trying to sleep with Cain, much to Ruby’s bemusement.
As things get more and more heated, Moira suddenly headbutts Ruby, sending her sprawling onto the sofa, just as Cain and Caleb (Will Ash) walk in.
As Caleb tries to calm a furious Ruby down, Cain drags Moira back home, demanding to know what’s going on with her.
When Cain brings up the blood tests, Moira realises she had forgotten all about them, leading Cain to storm out.
Moira is left confused and upset, will she ever get to the bottom of her ailment?
5) Frankie goes missing as Nate plans to leave
Over at Tug Ghyll, Tracy’s (Amy Walsh) worry that ex-husband Nate (Jurell Carter) has already found a new love are replaced with an even bigger concern, when she learns what his mysterious phone calls have been about.
Nate admits to Mackenzie (Lawrence Robb) that he has been offered a job up in Scotland, and he needs to decide on whether he’s going to take it by tomorrow.
The decision is a difficult one given that it would mean being away from daughter Frankie and the rest of his family.
Tracy is thrown when Nate finally comes clean, but neither are willing to admit the feelings they may still have for each other.
But all that is put side when Tracy, Nate and Vanessa (Michelle Hardwick) realise that Frankie has disappeared whilst they’ve been talking outside the village hall.
As they frantically search the village, Tracy eventually decides it’s time to call the police…
6) Will John leave Emmerdale?
Also next week, it looks as though John’s (Oliver Farnworth) plan to leave Emmerdale, and newly found half-sibling Victoria (Isabel Hodgins), as soon as he’s able to, has finally come to fruition.
Aaron (Danny Miller) is quietly disappointed when John informs him that it is his last day working at Butlers Farm, and his bags are packed.
Having nearly come to blows on many an occasion since their initial hook-up, John and Aaron have given in to temptation over the past week and let their passion take over.
But will Aaron, or Victoria for that matter, be able to convince John to stay?
