Emmerdale fans 'work out who really killed Tom King' - and it wasn't Belle Dingle

Emmerdale aired tense scenes on Thursday night as Belle Dingle appeared to kill her abusive husband Tom King with an axe after he attacked her, but some fans think another character was at the scene

Emmerdale fans think someone other than Belle Dingle may have been behind Tom King's apparent murder on Thursday night.

Belle appeared to kill her abusive husband with an axe after he attacked her. As things reached a point with him holding a shotgun no doubt preparing to murder Belle, she took action and attacked him.

But we didn't actually see her attack him it was just implied, given the episode aired pre-watershed so the scenes would have been too grisly. Some viewers are convinced this wasn't the reason for it not being shown though, wondering if another character was in the scene.

Ahead of Tom's fate being confirmed on Friday night, fans have speculated someone came to Belle's rescue and attacked Tom, not Belle. While it seemed only she and Tom were in the room, the shot panned to Belle looking shocked while Tom was on the floor with the weapon wedged in his back.

While it was likely Belle who used it, fans can't help but speculate someone else will be revealed as the person wielding the axe on Friday night. Fans think Belle's pal Vinny Dingle managed to get in and help Belle, attacking Tom.

One viewer shared online: "He's not dead. I think the camera may swing around and Vinny is standing there after putting the hatched in him." Another agreed: "No... hope he is paralysed though. I think Vinny did it, I don't think it was Belle."

A third fan posted: "For a minute I thought Sam or Vinny had attacked Tom." Other fans were baffled as to how Tom had snuck past Belle's brother Sam Dingle and pal Vinny at the house to terrorise Belle.

The pair hadn't seen him despite him being in view. Some viewers were left divided over Tom's fate on Thursday night, with many sure regardless of what happens Belle wouldn't face trouble.

Could this be the moment Tom is finally exposed? One fan said: "If Tom survives, which I suspect he will, he’ll have no defence against Belle acting to defend herself. Tom’s fingerprints are all over the shotgun, including the safety catch but then again, this is soap land so, who knows!"

Another said: "Hopefully Tom isn’t dead and they’ve set the perfect scene, Belle’s cut & bruised, he’s lying on a gun, compelling evidence." A third fan commented: "Tom turning up as the house like that he’s such a c redo and then using a axe to break through the door like that and then him getting an axe to the back hope Belle doesn’t get in trouble for it she was defending herself."

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .