ITV Emmerdale Belle's real mother 'revealed' in DNA bombshell - and it's not Lisa Dingle

Emmerdale fans are convinced they've figured out the 'true' identity of Belle Dingle's mother, and it's not Lisa.

Belle (played by Eden Taylor-Draper), a cherished character on the soap, was born on Christmas Day in 1998. As the offspring of Zak (Steve Halliwell) and Lisa (Jane Cox), Belle has been central to numerous major plotlines over the years.

Currently, viewers will remember that for the past eighteen months, she has been embroiled in a domestic abuse storyline. Audiences have watched in shock as her husband Tom King (James Chase) subjected Belle to psychological manipulation and control.

In one episode, Belle defended herself against Tom with an axe, and although initially reluctant, she reported his year-long abuse to the police. Despite initially evading punishment, retribution finally caught up with Tom in November. Although he was arrested and charged, he chose to become a fugitive and leave the country, reports Leeds Live.

However, justice prevailed when the police managed to locate him. Tom is now incarcerated, awaiting his trial set for later this month. Moreover, Belle's mental health has deteriorated throughout this ordeal, but with Tom's imprisonment, she is resolved to do whatever necessary to ensure he is convicted in court.

However, viewers have speculated a game-changing twist in the storyline, suggesting that Belle's mum might not be Lisa, who tragically passed away in May 2019. Instead, fans believe it could be soap legend Kim Tate, played by Claire King.

In a Reddit thread, one viewer pondered: "Is Kim Tate Belle's mother. Lisa claimed she didn't know she was pregnant so could she have been telling porkies that Belle is her daughter. She could be Kim Tate's and perhaps Zak is her biological father but it could be anyone really."

Other fans joined the discussion, with one pointing out that viewers witnessed Lisa give birth on-screen in 1998. However, another fan dismissed this argument. They suggested: "They could easily do an Easties and write in a baby swap storyline", referring to the controversial baby swap plot in EastEnders in 2010. A third person concurred: "Stranger things have happened."

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm

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