Belle double-crossed Tom and took her power back – everything that happened in Emmerdale tonight

Emmerdale tonight saw Belle Dingle stop letting everyone else control her life and take charge of it herself – at last. She finally did the right thing and told the police everything – right about the same time as he was fabricating a story about being robbed. Let’s hope the beginning of the end is on the way.

Here’s everything that went down in Emmerdale tonight, Tuesday October 1.

Belle took control

Quite rightly Belle was beside herself with all the lies and now the Dingles are planning for her to run off to Ireland. She did not want to go, but Lydia taking over everything saw Belle eventually agree. We really can’t understand how Lydia thinks this is for the best, but still.

Belle then snuck off under the pretence she was going to borrow a suitcase off Mandy. Soon enough, though, she arrived at Tom’s hospital bedside with one minute to spare before his deadline. He wanted to make a deal.

As he manipulated her and tried to gaslight her, he told her he wouldn’t tell the police if she stopped ‘lying’ he was an abuser. Belle stood up to him and insisted it was self-defence. He continued to manipulate, saying his story was the one that would hold up in court.

Employing his usual tactics, focusing on her mental health, Belle found herself agreeing. But then he insisted on a kiss ‘to seal the deal’. Having him touch her seemed to be too much.

Later, Tom actually stuck to his side of the bargain and recounted his lies to the police that he was attacked by two men who were trying to rob him. He described them in great detail as the police took notes and Jimmy listened in horror to his tall tale. Tom even insisted despite her fragile state there was no way Belle would ever have stuck an axe in his back – big mistake. Huge.

But it turned out Belle had double-crossed him – right at that moment, she was at the police station, taking her power back. Having dug up the axe, Belle told the desk sergeant she was the victim of domestic abuse and attacked her husband in self-defence.

Hopefully her tricking Tom into telling the cops his lies will help her case. Either way, this is finally the right move for Belle after the storyline took a somewhat questionable turn, and we can only pray the soap gods (or the producers!) see fit to give us the correct outcome.

Moira didn’t let the sheep out in Emmerdale tonight

Fed-up with being mollycoddled, Moira was not happy when Ruby was called round to ‘babysit’ her. But Ruby, in typical Ruby fashion, just barged in and started finding her way around the kitchen. It’s clear a bond is growing between these two and we like it. Ruby even almost opened up about missing her mum, but then decided not to.

However, Mack soon ruined things when he came running in and said the sheep had escaped – the sheep Moira had newly bought as pets for Isaac on an impulse. He sat Moira down and tried to explain to her she needed to stop fighting him on everything. He told her she couldn’t work alone and she got emotional, but agreed to try to stay away from the farming.

It then turned out Isaac had left the gate open and Mack was forced to apologise. But something tells us he’s not wrong about her working alone…

Also in Emmerdale tonight…

Charles wants Laurel, Laurel wants Charles, but neither will admit it

After agreeing their sex session was just a one-off, Laurel decided to quit the church committee. Charles was a bit upset and tried tried to find out what’s going on in Laurel’s head by probing Nicola. Not the best idea as Nicola’s about as unsubtle as a brick. She soon twigged something had happened between them and rushed round to see her mate for all the gossip.

After Nicola tricked Laurel into telling her the truth, Laurel opened up and admitted she’d slept with the vicar. But then Charles came round and the situation was pretty awkward. Nicola got the hint and left quick smart.

As Laurel and Charles bickered again, Charles let slip he finds her irresistible. She tried to be responsible and insist it was over, but it was clear it isn’t what either of them wanted. What do they want? We’re not entirely sure, but chances are it’s a bit more afternoon delight.

Aaron rejected John

Needing to get rid of his stolen smart watches quick, er, smart, Aaron needed a vehicle. He asked Mack, who told him to ask John. But John wasn’t playing ball and wouldn’t lend Aaron his van.

After John’s lacklustre secret reveal last week and now this, if Aaron stealing smart watches is the best they can give Danny Miller and Oliver Farnworth to do, split these two up now and spare us any more hours of this mundane guff.