Opening up about his gripping storyline, James told Daily Star and other press: “I knew the role was going to have this storyline within it and even when Tom was relatively a good guy for the first six months I knew this was going to happen because this was the agreement we had initially.

“I think you have to honour the storyline as realistically as possible because this is something that does go on and if the audience do hate you, I think it’s a good sign you’re doing it properly.”

After admitting that he knew the character will ultimately be caught out, James said: “I think it has to happen because it’s what he deserves. He can’t get away with it. I don’t know to what extent that would be, as to how the storyline would end with Tom, but I think it would have to be something like that because she needs justice for what happened to Belle.

Also, the viewer needs to see Belle win at the very end or the very least for him to lose. I definitely think at least prison.” In upcoming scenes, it has been confirmed that one of his furious outbursts will have dangerous consequences as he’s left fighting for his life.

Tom learns about Belle’s secret abortion and he takes a metal bar and smashes everything within his reach in the barn that he’s in. As his anger crescendos and he prepares himself to deal a final blow, he raises the metal bar above his head, and it connects with the rotary isolator.

A violent electric shock is sent through his enraged body and he is flung into a wooden beam. He’s lying there dying while oblivious Belle is packing her case ready for a trip to see Debbie Dingle in Scotland.