Emmerdale stars tease terrifying flashback week in Tom King storyline

Next week, Charity is alarmed to hear about abusive Tom's job interview in Wales, and the couple's abrupt exit from the village.

Charity cannot shake her fears that Belle is in danger, telling Cain that Tom reminds her of Mark Bails (Rocky Marshall), the police detective who abused Charity sexually, physically and psychologically when she was a teenager.

A look around the Kings' marital home reveals controlling Tom's surveillance of Belle, and Cain and Charity soon find an address for a Welsh cottage.

As the pair set off to find Belle, Hordley and Atkins told RadioTimes.com and other media that we're in for a frightening time, as the characters arrive to find a sight akin to a horror film.

"We immediately fear for her safety, because why wouldn't we? We know that she's gone away and she's missing. There's no one in the house when we get there, we see blood. We immediately assume Belle is in real trouble," warned Atkins.

"We played it for real, we played it [as], of course, whose is [the blood], is it Belle's or Tom's?"

Picking up the story, Hordley explained: "[Tom's] really clever at the way he operates, and he's masking everything that's going on really, really well. So we... I don't have a clue. I was going to say more about what happens in the cottage, but I'm not going to!"

After Charity and Cain's chilling discovery, Emmerdale will take viewers back to the beginning of the week, where Belle is excited to be in Wales for what she believes is a holiday - but she can't believe she's 'lost' her phone.

Tom's manipulative behaviour continues, and Belle hears Tom arranging to rent the cottage for a further six months. Before long, the trip turns into a terrifying ordeal for Belle.

We'll just have to wait and see what transpires, but Hordley went on to discuss just how far Cain would go to protect Belle against Tom - as is the great wish of the audience.

"If somebody hurt his little sister in particular, I think there's no saying what Cain would do," he shared. "I think it was almost inevitable that there's going to be a time where Cain's going to get wind of what's been going on.

"And it's always interesting now that Cain, this once not-very-liked by the viewers [character], shall we say, when I first joined, [they] now see him as this kind of hero [to] fly in and save the day for other people - but in a not very nice way!"

Asked what it was like filming these episodes, Atkins was quick to relay her joy at working with long-time co-star Hordley. "It was brilliant! I just want to say, working with Jeff again was just magic. 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.

"Our characters just somehow really work well together. And it's great that we're not a couple, but we come together, we're good in a crisis. We trust each other, and I love the fact that Cain does listen to Charity. I just loved it!"

Hordley teased that these dark episodes are also sprinkled with lighter moments based on Cain and Charity's strong bond. "The writers write really well for us, they understand the history of the two characters.

"So as well as there being a serious element to it, there's also clever little lines and likeness within these kind of heavy-ish scenes. There's bits where Charity's kind of sniping at him, and he's sniping at her, and it was really fun to do," he enthused.

"Then, of course, there's that Dingle family mentality of having Belle at the core of this, Cain's little sister," said Atkins, "and the level of care there makes it even more authentic when we go and work out what's going on."

Emmerdale airs these scenes from Monday 22nd July.

Emmerdale has been working with Refuge for the Tom and Belle storyline. You can access free and confidential support from Refuge's 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 and digital support via live chat Monday-Friday 3-10pm via nationaldahelpline.org.uk.

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Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.

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