Denise Welch played a juror on Emmerdale this week – but fans have predicted a shock Tate DNA twist
Emmerdale viewers believe they have figured out a connection between Denise Welch’s character and a well-known resident.
The actress made her first appearance on Emmerdale this week, portraying Heidi, a juror in the high-profile court case involving Tom King (James Chase) and Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper). As viewers will remember, for the past 18 months, Tom has been tormenting his wife Belle with gaslighting and abuse.
Luckily, Belle was able to escape and report his abuse. During Thursday’s episode (December 19), Tom’s trial took place – with Tom facing charges of coercive controlling behaviour and assault. On the witness stand, Belle disclosed the truth about the abuse she endured. Tom, on the other hand, continued to lie, creating a ‘false’ narrative whenever possible.
Throughout the intense episode, viewers saw jurors Heidi – played by Denise – and Karl (Charles Dale), disagree over who was telling the truth, reports Leeds Live. Heidi was firm in her belief that Belle was telling the truth, while Karl seemed sympathetic to Tom.
Fortunately, Karl realised his mistake and the jury returned a guilty verdict – with Tom receiving a three-year sentence. It’s safe to say that Denise’s stint on Emmerdale has been well received by fans, who are insistent that she becomes a regular. Moreover, fans are convinced that her character could be related to a Dales legend.
On an Emmerdale Facebook fan page, praise was heaped upon Denise Welsh for her performance in the show with a fan commenting, “Denise Welsh was amazing in Emmerdale tonight what a fantastic believable performance.”
In the comments section, enthusiasts concurred and speculated on potential plot developments.One admirer commented, “She was brilliant! I hope they keep her on,” while another postulated, “She could be Kim Tate’s long-lost sister.”
A third fan suggested, “You’re onto something there! I can see them in Home Farm ruling the village.” and yet another opined, “Kim does have a sister actually she could play.”
Discussing her role in Emmerdale, Denise Welsh shared her enthusiasm: “I thoroughly enjoyed shooting this important episode of Emmerdale. Like many I’ve been gripped by the Belle and Tom storyline so to play a head juror in the story’s culmination was an honour.”
Moreover, she highlighted that the script drew inspiration from real-life incidents, with the domestic abuse charity Refuge having aided in the research process.
Denise further elaborated on her insights into the subject based on her involvement with Loose Women, asserting, “At Loose Women (wearing my other hat) we launched our Facing it Together campaign this year which has been hugely successful in shining a light on all sorts of abuse including of course coercive control. So the subject matter is one I’m passionate about. To share the jury scenes with Charlie Dale and Jack Ellis and also to see lots of my Emmerdale mates made it a job to remember.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm
