ITV Emmerdale exit as fans 'expose' who takes down Tom King - and it's a new villager
Emmerdale enthusiasts reckon they've sussed out who's set to expose Tom King (portrayed by James Chase), and they haven't even hit the village yet.
For months on end, critics have been glued to their screens as Tom abused Belle Dingle (played by Eden Taylor-Draper), but it looks like his downfall could be nigh.
Initially, the sneaky vet pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, making them believe Belle was the aggressor and that she was delusional. But before long, his facade began to crumble, and now it seems the whole Dingle clan, along with the villagers, is clocking on to his charades.
Recently, in a desperate roll of the dice, Tom has resorted to some pretty wild antics to ensure his uncle Jimmy (Nick Miles) stays in his corner, especially after Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) packed her bags and left their homestead.
That included smashing up his own car windows and staging an attack on himself - all part of an elaborate plot to maintain his image as the wronged party, reports Leeds Live.
But could Uncle Jimmy be finally waking up to the fact that his nephew isn't as angelic as he plays out?
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Speculation is rife among the fanbase, spinning out numerous theories on how and when Tom will get his comeuppance.
Taking to a Facebook group dedicated to the soap, one viewer tossed in their two pence, guessing that Tom's sister might swan into the village ready to unmask him. At the same time, another fan suggested that a yet-to-be-introduced character could play a pivotal role.
Chiming in, a user penned: "A new character is going to expose Tom and he do a runner after he claims he's been attacked."
One viewer speculated: "That's BS if he does a runner. I need to see him go down! But mind you he can't because they'll need to have a trial and it ends at Xmas."
"His sister," another fan suggested, pondering the plot twists.
Adding to the speculation, a fan commented: "An old flame, perhaps."
Emmerdale is set to deliver Belle and Tom's gripping conclusion in an upcoming special hour-long episode that will feature the real-life testimonies of domestic abuse victims and survivors.
Discussing the storyline, Emmerdale Producer Laura Shaw said: "When we first embarked on this journey, we knew we wanted to show domestic abuse, coercive control, and manipulation in all its guises. The privilege we have on a drama such as Emmerdale is being able to show the reality of a situation like Belle's over a longer period of time to authentically reflect what so many people go through in real life on a daily basis."
She added: "We knew from the outset that Belle would need some sort of closure on Tom, and we know our Emmerdale audience always look forward to our villains getting their comeuppance."
"We don't want to spoil the outcome of this story and reveal what will happen to Tom, but needless to say, Belle's going to be in a much better place by this Christmas."
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV.