Lisa Dingle's touching letter amid bride Belle's dark storyline in Emmerdale

Tom stormed off ahead of the big day when Belle considered cancelling the nuptials due to the absence of her father Zak Dingle (played by the late Steve Halliwell), who had injured his back.

As Belle prepared to walk down the aisle with bridesmaids Lydia (Karen Blick) and Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley), she was worried not to have heard from Tom - until his uncle Jimmy King (Nick Miles) gave him some perspective.

With the wedding back on, Belle's big brother Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) told her that she didn't have to go through with it, and there were clearly nerves there.

Her other brother, Sam Dingle (James Hooton), returned from Scotland in the nick of time to walk Belle down the aisle, bringing a letter from Belle's late mother Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox), who died in 2019.

Belle opted to keep the letter in her bouquet to read later, and in the church, there were interruptions galore from a playful Sam, as well as Ruby Fox-Milligan (Beth Cordingly), who found Belle's full name 'Tinkerbell' simply hilarious.

The couple eventually tied the knot, but Tom continued to feel put out by the Dingles' rowdy behaviour, including Sam's hankering for the buffet food - which viewers have come to expect from the beloved character during every wedding.

Belle did her best to placate Tom at every turn, and after the drama caused by Ruby at the reception, she put off reading Lisa's words to join Tom for their first dance.

This was swiftly halted for a family conga, which Belle loved but Tom simmered over. Finally, Tom persuaded Belle to come home with him for some wedding night fun.

But later, when she reached for the letter, Tom erupted into anger over her choice not to put him first.

He reeled off a list of grievances from the day - including Mandy's decision to change out of her dress into an animal print ensemble.

Belle was shocked, commenting that she had had no control over how the day panned out. She was saddened to hear how Tom felt, but after a vile tirade, he ordered her to spend the night on the sofa!

Alone and in tears, Belle opened Lisa's letter, and the scene was accompanied by a voice-over from much-missed actress Jane Cox.

"I know you'll have chosen well. A kind, good man who'll look after you forever, now I no longer can. I'll rest easier knowing you're so happy."

But sadly, Lisa's words aren't in line with the kind of man Tom is turning out to be. Just how dark will the character become?

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can visit Refuge for more information and contact 0808 2000 247 for support. Help can also be found at The Hideout.

Read more:

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Emmerdale airs on weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Soaps hub.

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