Denise Welch is set to make her Emmerdale debut as she takes on the role of Heidi, the head juror in the high stakes court case involving Tom King and Belle Dingle

Loose Women star Denise Welch is buzzing about her upcoming soap stint.

She has hailed it “an honour” to join the cast of Emmerdale for the gripping court drama involving Tom King and Belle Dingle. The telly icon, famed for her roles in Coronation Street and EastEnders, will grace the Dales as Heidi in Wednesday’s (December 18) episode.

The crucial trial that could change Tom’s (Jame Chase) life forever, with allegations of vile abuse against his wife Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper), is set to go down in an hour-long special on Thursday (December 19). Denise couldn’t hide her excitement, gushing: “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.” She also talked about how real-life cases and the charity Refuge influenced the script.

Denise Welch plays Heidi in upcoming Emmerdale scenes(Image: (Image: ITV))

Not forgetting her Loose Women roots, she shared: “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.”

The jury will decide Tom King’s fate this weel(Image: (Image: UK))

Denise, famed for her roles as Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street, Jane Howard in Doctors, Alison Slater in EastEnders and most recently Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks, has teased the tension surrounding Tom’s trial, according to Leicestershire Live. Viewers will be left on tenterhooks as they await the jury’s verdict on Tom’s guilt or innocence, reports the Express.

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX