James Chase, who played Tom King on Emmerdale, has quit the soap and says his departure is the “right outcome” for his malicious character

Emmerdale star James Chase is glad to be leaving the soap – as it means his odious character Tom King has finally been jailed.

The actor has added his voice to those of viewers desperate to see justice done, after watching the violent bully sustain a 10-month campaign of mental and physical abuse against Belle Dingle.

James, 28, bluntly said the exit is the ‘right choice’. He told The Mirror: “One hundred per cent this is the right outcome for King.

“If the Dingles had gone after him and killed him, or even Belle kill him, I think that would be understandable but she and the family would be stooping to his level. By keeping it in the realms of legality, it is the right course of action.”

James feels that jailing Tom sends a powerful message that domestic abusers should not get away with it.

This is particularly important when, according to Refuge – the charity which advised soap bosses on the storyline – one in four people experience domestic abuse and every 30 seconds police receive a call for help.

In Thursday’s episode, Emmerdale fans saw King jailed for three years, after the jury – which included soap legends Denise Welch, Jack Ellis and Charles Dale – found him guilty.

Giving his only newspaper interview to The Mirror, which has championed the fight against domestic violence and coercive control with its Justice for Our Daughters campaign, James continues: “This storyline has really resonated with viewers and, sadly, it’s been happening for a long time behind closed doors. Unfortunately, in real life, these things can go on for years.

“By doing the storyline for most this year, we have brought that feeling across – that you are trapped, you are with someone who is awful and you can’t find your way out of it. I feel really proud of what we have achieved and I’m especially proud of Eden (Taylor-Draper) who plays Belle Dingle. She is bloody brilliant and it has been intense. She has spent nearly every day crying.”

Emmerdale’s Tom King launched a campaign of abuse at Belle Dingle, played by Eden Taylor-Draper (Image: ITV)

Smiling and welcoming, James is the complete opposite to conniving King. And he is relieved that viewers realise he is just playing a character.

He says: “I can count on one hand the number of messages I have had from people on Instagram who don’t understand it is a TV show. People come up all the time and they say they have hated it but loved it at the same time. It is gripping but an important message.

“One woman came up to me and she said her sister had been in that sort of relationship – physically and mentally abused. She was stuck there for so long, like Belle. The lady told me that when her sister had seen our storyline, she felt hopeful because it had brought home the issue and that awareness was being spread. That was really moving to hear.

“Eden has also had many more messages telling us how much this storyline has helped. Because we are telling a story that matters, that to me has been the single most important thing.”

James says Tom is finally getting what’s coming to him (Image: ITV)

While actors have received flack – and worse – in the past for playing vindictive characters, he adds: “Thankfully, nobody has tried to attack me! I know it can happen to actors who play villains. I know in the past, where characters in Emmerdale have had a dark storyline, it’s happened.”

Despite completely backing the decision to jail King, James found filming his final scenes emotional. “Obviously all good things have to come to an end,” he says of his departure from the soap.

“It’s sad to walk away from so many nice people on Emmerdale. I have made so many great friends and I am going to miss them all a lot.

“After we finished on my last day, I did choke up. Everyone had gathered to say goodbye and they asked me to make a speech. I found myself starting to choke up because you suddenly realise it really is coming to an end. But, if they want to put me in for an accolade of good villain, I will take it!

“Jim Hooton, who plays Sam Dingle, gave me a big hug and told me ’d played such an iconic villain and that I should be really proud. It was really nice of him to say this and everyone has been so lovely. Being a part of Emmerdale has been an amazing experience.”

Tom will answer for what he did to Belle (Image: ITV)

Bowled over by the gifts and good wishes at his farewell in a pub near the Leeds studio, he adds: “I thought I would just get a few pints down the local pub, but Eden bought me such a thoughtful gift. I am a huge film buff and I love going to the cinema. She got me a premium Odeon cinema year’s pass to go whenever I want to any cinema in the country! I also got given some Sugden’s Gin, which I wasn’t expecting.”

After a well-earned rest and a holiday in Japan, James is now busy attending auditions for his next role. He’d love to play a swashbuckling character next, or a ‘Mr Nice Guy’.

He says: “It wasn’t until I finished a few weeks back that I realised how tired I was. When you are filming, you keep going ‘next week, next week’, then suddenly you have some time off and so I went to sleep for about two days!

“I also went on holiday to Japan which was amazing. I am excited about what the future holds. I love playing complex, interesting characters and it would be amazing to be in a sci-fi drama. I am a huge fan and I would love to do something with a sword, with my inner child coming out!

“It would be refreshing to play someone, too, who is good through and through – rather than someone like Tom King who was so malicious. But if anyone reading this would like to give me a job, then great! I’m interested to hear!”

Tom King, played by James Chase, is leaving the soap… for now

Away from TV, James would also be interested in becoming an ambassador for a charity campaigning on issues raised in his final Emmerdale storyline. “There were so many scenes where he was abusive,“ says James.

“Maybe Belle had made a nice breakfast for him and he would tell her to p**s off and slam the door. I felt so sorry for Belle and it made me feel so sorry for women trapped in these situations.

“I know a lot of soap actors do some wonderful work for charities and I would be interested too. Playing a character like Tom, you learn lots and it is just awful.”

Looking forward to spending Christmas with his family, James says they go for ‘Dingle-style’ festivities. “We have a big Christmas every year,” he says. “There will be lots of food, booze, people falling over – in fact, it’s a bit like a Dingle Christmas!”

James wants to play a ‘Mr Nice Guy’ character next (Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

And he has not ruled out a return to the soap when King is released – depending on the storyline. “A year ago, we did the Torvill and Dean stuff, before Tom was awful,” says James, reflecting on a storyline with the famous skaters.

“It was like playing a different character, as he wasn’t conniving. It was a wonderful day filming with them and they were just brilliant. I pretty much got a free ice-skating lesson from Christopher Dean, which is just mental! Mind you, I am terrible at skating, I am not good at all!”

Meanwhile, he hopes that prison will give King a chance to turn over a new leaf.

He says: “I do think Tom will stew in prison and realise what he has done. I think after his prison stint, he will hopefully be a changed man and he will have finally realised the terrible things he did.

“If I were to come back in years to come, then it would depend on how the writers would go about it. But, for now, I am so pleased they have finally got Tom – and justice has rightly been achieved for Belle.”