What happened to Emmerdale’s Colleen King? Four theories on mysterious off-screen death

As fans get irritated with the terrifying plot of Emmerdale, Tom King persists in mistreating his wife Belle Dingle. However, what really become to his mother Colleen?

After Colleen King was slain off-screen the previous year, her death was quickly forgotten, leaving fans in search of explanations.

Colleen, the former spouse of Carl King, has been a part of Emmerdale since April 2004, when actress Melanie Ash and her two kids, Tom and Anya, made their soap opera debut. In 2005, she made a fleeting appearance in the Dales when the two children visited Carl.

Colleen informed Carl she was thinking of moving to Saudi Arabia with Anya and Tom six years after they had originally arrived in Yorkshire, and the three of them departed the next day.

Tom eventually made a comeback and started dating Belle, but Colleen vanished from sight. Her son said that she had passed away in October 2023 from a devastating heart attack.

**As fans attempt to piece together the true story of Tom King’s mother Colleen, theories about her death have been circulating on social media. Could he have murdered her? (Photo: ITV)**

But when James Chase’s portrayal of Tom’s harsh attitude intensifies into a more comprehensive narrative of coercive control, viewers have been left wondering whether Tom’s account of events is true.

Many viewers of the Yorkshire-based drama have conjectured that he could have had a role in his mother’s death, but further suggestions have surfaced online as some viewers think Belle may be in for one more shocking turn.

1. Murdered by her own son

Most viewers have been more and more persuaded over the last several months that Tom could have killed his mother Colleen. The notion originally surfaced on X, or Twitter, not long after word of Colleen’s death spread across the town.

At the time, a viewer said, “I’m beginning to wonder if Tom murdered his mum.” Subsequently, another said: “Tom has killed his mother, otherwise, why is he being so shifty? Or maybe the boy who assaulted him?

Another drama fan had then commented, “Is Tom a sociopath?,” in response to the vet’s lack of emotion. coldness over his mother’s passing. Feelings absent. One person called his choice to skip Colleen’s burial “strange,” while another said, “Or is it just that he’s not a very good actor?”

And since Tom was recently seen hitting Belle in the stomach, exposing him as a physically abusive and dangerous lover, the rumours that he is also a killer have only intensified. However, things can be far more complicated.

2. Driven to commit the irreparable

Tom’s mocking comments about Belle Dingle’s late mother Lisa Dingle on Thursday, May 23, sent Belle (played by Eden Taylor-Draper) over the edge. Due to her mental instability brought on by Tom’s constant mistreatment, she became irrational and shoved her partner to the ground.

When Tom successfully convinced the village general practitioner Liam Cavanagh that his wife was unstable and possibly abusive towards him, Vanessa Woodfield and Rhona Goskirk hurried to his aid. This is a common occurrence for victims of coercive control and domestic abuse who find it difficult to move past their ordeal and suffer significant mental health damage as a result of self-blame.

This raises the issue of whether Colleen King would have received the same treatment. The discussion on X was started by a viewer who said, “I wonder if Tom did the same thing to his mum.”

According to one idea, Colleen killed herself because she was sick of her son mistreating her, and Tom made up the story of her death to make it seem as if he was trying to hide from her. However, this still leaves open the issue of Tom’s sister Anya’s whereabouts.

3. Tom is a red herring

Viewers have little trouble identifying Tom as Colleen’s murderer, but Anya, his sister, is still completely mysterious.

Anya hasn’t been heard from or seen since returning to the town in November 2012 after the death of her father Carl. It seems that she has being kept at a distance from Emmerdale and her brother’s life.

Anya, in contrast to her elder brother, has not been shown to be a villain, although it is possible that in the future she may be exposed as a murderer. When Belle learned that Colleen had died, Tom looked surprised, as if he hadn’t heard anything.

Anya’s probable role in Colleen’s killing and her likely escape from prosecution wouldn’t be out of the question given her genetic makeup with Carl King. After Meena Jutla’s imprisonment in 2022, this might take her directly back to the village to cause more mayhem and perhaps even expose herself as the next serial murderer of the village. Could she be in the village already, going under a different name?

4. Fake death twist

What if Colleen was never really dead and the soap opera executives had another plan?

Tom only said that Colleen had died of a heart attack, presumably brushing away Colleen’s off-screen death when it was first brought up. Some viewers, meanwhile, have speculated that she may not even be dead and that, with Anya’s assistance, she is preparing to reveal her son’s violent behaviour.

Anya and Colleen could support Belle in her attempts to escape Tom and disclose that they have also been plagued by him throughout their time together as a family.

As Tom’s assault intensifies, Emmerdale fans have pleaded for Belle’s brothers Cain (Jeff Hordley) and Sam (James Hooton) to come to her rescue.

However, because the veterinarian is able to trick the locals into thinking he’s a victim, the wedding planner may need additional acquaintances of Tom’s to eventually exact revenge on him. Is Colleen the one who puts a stop to Tom’s terror reign in Dale Head?