“If the audience do hate you, it’s a good sign that you’re doing it properly.”
EmmerdaleΒ actorΒ James ChaseΒ has explained how fans have reacted to his character Tom King’s horrifying abuse storyline with wifeΒ Belle Dingle.
Since the beginning of their relationship, Tom has well and truly shown his true colours as his campaign ofΒ mental and physical abuseΒ against Belle continues.
The danger posed to Belle has heightened since sheΒ discovered she was pregnant. Despite Tom expressing how excited he is to become a father, Belle has decided toΒ terminate her pregnancy in secret.
When Belle lies to him about suffering a miscarriage,Β Tom’s rage spills overΒ and his violent outburst in the barn leads to him being electrocuted, while Belle flees the village.
Speaking toΒ Digital SpyΒ and other media, James explained the public reaction he has received as the harrowing storyline begins.
“Luckily, I haven’t really had anyone be mean to me on the street at all,” he said. “I was walking back after we filmed in the studio the other day and somebody was on his phone, walking through the bike lane, and he looked up and saw me and his face kind of dropped! He tracked me as I walked past him, but he didn’t say anything.
“I haven’t had any eggs thrown at me or anything like that. It’s been good, to be honest, the response I’ve had from most people.”
The actor said he was prepared about the story’s content ahead of time and how viewers would not like his character.
“I always knew this role was going to have this storyline within it, and even when Tom was a relatively good guy for the first six months, I knew this was going to happen because this was the agreement we had initially,” he continued.
“Like me and Eden [Taylor-Draper, who plays Belle] have said before, you have to honour the storyline as realistically as possible because this is something that does go on. If the audience do hate you, it’s a good sign that you’re doing it properly.”
