Emmerdale legend admits feeling ‘uncomfortable’ watching back ITV soap scenes

Emma Atkins, who plays Belle Dingle in Emmerdale, said she was “uncomfortable” while viewing the scenes of domestic abuse involving Tom King.

Emma Atkins, a star of Emmerdale, has acknowledged that she found it difficult to follow the coercive control plot involving Belle Dingle and Tom King.

Since joining the ITV soap opera in 2000, the 49-year-old actress has played the beloved Charity Dingle on and off for 24 years, and she has been a part of some of the show’s most suspenseful storylines.

In later scenes, Charity and Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) find something gloomy and start to worry about Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) as she and her husband Tom (James Chase) leave the village.

When they go to Tom and Belle’s Welsh cottage for a trip and discover it is empty, they are both filled with fear.

Belle is nowhere to be found, and the place is in ruins with blood all over the walls. The two instantly worry for the worst, but are they safe and has Tom hurt Belle?

“It was brilliant and working with Jeff again was just magic because I haven’t worked with him in quite a while and we just seem to have this effortless chemistry when we get together because we know each other, we know our history, and our characters somehow really work together,” Emma said, discussing her most recent storyline.

We’re not a couple, which is fantastic, but we came together in a time of need. We have mutual trust, and I adore that Cain actually pays attention to Charity.”

Emma continued by saying that she had received feedback from fans saying that it was difficult to follow Tom and Belle’s story of coercive control. She also acknowledged that she had felt “uncomfortable” during certain scenes.

“I’ve talked to people who sometimes find it difficult to watch it because of its nature, which is amazing because it demonstrates how powerful it is,” the woman remarked. At one point, I couldn’t bear to watch any longer, so I suppose that’s how it’s delivered.”

For weeks, viewers have been pleading with Charity and Cain to work together to defeat Tom, and Emma remained silent when asked if her character will be the one to bring the bad guy down.

“I think the fact Charity has experienced level of abuse she recognises the signs and she’s got her eye on him,” Emma said.

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