Inside Emmerdale Belle Dingle star Eden Taylor-Draper's off-screen life and heartbreak

Emmerdale has been a launchpad for many actors, but few have remained as integral to the show as Eden Taylor-Draper, who portrays Belle Dingle.

Recently, Belle's storyline has seen her endure domestic abuse from her ex-husband Tom King. Despite ending their relationship, she continues to struggle with finding someone to confide in.

While Belle is a familiar face on Emmerdale, viewers may not know much about Eden's life off-screen. Born in Selby, Yorkshire, in 1997, she made her debut on Emmerdale at just eight years old in 2005.

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Fast forward 19 years, and now 26, Eden is an award-winning actress. Over the years, the Mirror reports she's bagged a string of awards including the Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor or Actress Award at the British Soap Awards.

Away from the cameras, Eden is in a long-term relationship with Ed Lewis, often sharing snaps of them together on her Instagram page.

She's also opened up about her family life, including discussing the impact of her sister Francesca's cancer diagnosis when she was just 14 years old.

Eden, who was around 20 at the time, became an unwavering source of support for her sister, making weekly visits to cheer her up and even staying with her in the hospital.

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Reflecting on those days, she once said: "I stayed over a few times a week. Chessie had her bed and I had a little bed next to her. Mornings would be a snuggle, cup of tea and re-runs of Come Dine with Me. I tried to keep Chess as cosy as possible. We'd always say love you before bed, and that everything would be OK."

In addition to her sister, Eden has three other younger siblings named Sebastian, Pollyanna, and Posy, and is the firstborn of Nicola, 51, and Richard, 49.

Discussing her sister's battle with cancer, Eden shared: "We've got such a strong family. When our mum puts her mind to something she's always going to do it. She said, 'You are getting better and that's it. We're going to get through it'."

Francesca is reportedly "doing really well" now, and Eden has embraced the role of ambassador for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

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