Emmerdale’s Tom King’s fate has been revealed after he was stabbed in the back with an axe by Belle Dingle after he threatened her life again, but fans all have the same question

Emmerdale has confirmed the fate of evil Tom King, played by James Chase, after he was stabbed in the back with an axe by his estranged wife Belle Dingle. The shock stabbing came after months of a harrowing domestic abuse storyline, with Belle, portrayed by Eden Taylor-Draper, suffering physically and mentally at the hands of Tom.

In recent episodes, Belle bravely decided to report him to the police, armed with evidence. However, when Amelia Spencer, played by Daisy Campbell, who is in love with Tom, got wind of this, she tipped him off and he soon locked Belle in her home, before chasing her around the Dingle farm.

This terrifying ordeal led to Belle striking him with an axe in self-defence. In Friday’s episode (September 27), the Dingle clan returned home. Vinny went to the shed to see Tom’s apparently lifeless body, after Belle revealed what to him, Sam and Lydia what had happened. When he and Sam went back to the shed retrieve the villainous vet’s body and attempt to cover up the stabbing to protect Belle, Tom was gone.

It was then revealed that Tom had managed to escape before collapsing nearby, where he was found by Doctor Liam Cavanagh, played by Jonny McPherson, who rushed him to hospital in an ambulance.

Jimmy and Nicola King, played by Nick Miles and Nicola Wheeler, were called to the hospital where Liam informed them that Tom was suffering from a collapsed lung and internal bleeding. Jimmy began to suspect Belle was responsible and Sam and Vinny’s arrival at the hospital only increased his suspicions.

Belle ignored Lydia’s pleas and rushed to the hospital, determined to tell her side of the story. Running into Sam and Vinny in the corridor, Belle said that she needed to confess and that she could not live with herself for killing a second person, having previously faced jail for the murder of her teenage friend, Gemma.

A distressed Belle said: “I need to go in there and see what’s going on.” When the pair said she could “blow everything”, Belle replied: “But I already have, haven’t I?

“If Tom dies, that is another life that I have taken – how do I live with myself? If he survives and he lands me in it, then my life is over.

“So whatever happens, I am screwed. He’s won, hasn’t he?”

However fans all have the same question following the episode, as one penned: “wtf how did he get the axe out of his back?? I knew he wasn’t dead tho it would be too obvious an ending.” Another added: “I knew it. He has more lives that a cat.” A third person said: “How the hell did he get the axe out??!”

Another commented: “just ridiculous now this Tom King storyline, big axe in his back and suddenly recovers and walks away.”