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| {{for|the screenwriter|Belle Taylor (screenwriter)}} | |||
| {{Very long|date=June 2009}} | |||
| {{ |
{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}} | ||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}} | |||
| {{Infobox soap character | {{Infobox soap character | ||
| | |
| series = Home and Away | ||
| | name = Belle Taylor |
| name = Belle Taylor | ||
| | portrayer = ] | |||
| | other_names = Susan | |||
| | |
| image = Belle Taylor.png | ||
| | imagesize = 200px | |||
| | image = ] | |||
| | introducer = Julie McGauran | |||
| | image_size = | |||
| | first = {{Start date|2006|02|03|df=y}} | |||
| | caption = Jessica Tovey as '''Belle Taylor''' | |||
| | last = {{End date|2009|08|11|df=y}} | |||
| | portrayer = ] | |||
| | |
| years = 2006–2009 | ||
| | classification= ] | |||
| | species = | |||
| | alias = Susan Taylor<br />Belle Jefferies | |||
| | gender = Female | |||
| | occupation = {{plainlist| | |||
| | first = 3 February 2006<br />Episode 4115 | |||
| *Waitress | |||
| | last = | |||
| *Journalist | |||
| | years = 2006- | |||
| *Student | |||
| | cause = | |||
| | born = 1989 | |||
| | age = 20 | |||
| | occupation = Waitress,<br> Formerly journalist at Coastal News (2007-2008,2009) and student | |||
| | parents = ]<br>(mother)<br>Peter Baker<br>(step-father)<br>David Taylor<br>(adoptive father)<br>Judith Taylor<br>(adoptive mother)<br>]<br>(foster mother) | |||
| | siblings = ]<br>(half-brother)<br>]<br>(step-brother)<br>]<br>(foster brother)<br>]<br>(foster sister) | |||
| | grandparents = Kitty Lansdowne<br>(maternal grandmother) | |||
| | aunts/uncles = Kelli Vale<br>(aunt)<br>]<br>(step-uncle, deceased)<br>]<br>(step-aunt) | |||
| | spouse = | |||
| | romances = ]<br>(ex-boyfriend, 2006)<br>]<br>(ex-boyfriend, 2006-2008)<br>]<br>(ex-boyfriend, 2006–2007)<br>]<br>(boyfriend, 2008-)<br>] <br>(ex-boyfriend, 2008) | |||
| | children = | |||
| | residence = Summer Bay Townhouse | |||
| | footnotes = | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| | husband = ] (2009) | |||
| | mother = ] | |||
| | stepfather = ]<br />Peter Baker | |||
| | adoptivefather = ] | |||
| | adoptivemother = Judith Taylor | |||
| | brothers = ] (step) | |||
| | sisters = ] (step) | |||
| | halfbrothers = ] | |||
| | grandmothers = ] | |||
| | aunts = Kelli Vale | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Belle Taylor''' is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '']'', played by ]. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 3 February 2006. Belle's storylines included finding her birth mother, a drug addiction, her relationship with ] and being diagnosed with cancer. In 2009, it was announced that Tovey had quit the show and the writers decided to kill off the character. Belle made her last appearance on 11 August 2009. | |||
| ==Casting== | |||
| '''Susan "Belle" Taylor''' is a ] in the ]n ] '']'', portrayed by actress ] since early 2006. | |||
| Tovey joined ''Home and Away'' in 2006 when she was 18.<ref name="DominionPost">{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/entertainment/2315780/Home-when-away|title=Home when away|last=Bennett|first=Cath|date=5 April 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> The character of Belle was her first television role.<ref name="DominionPost"/> On joining the cast, Tovey said she was "overwhelmed" and found it "daunting". She added "It was hard not to feel intimidated and nervous about joining the cast, this was really my first television role, so it was a huge step".<ref name="DominionPost"/> | |||
| == Background == | |||
| Belle first arrived in the Bay at sixteen years of age, having just found out she was adopted and on a mission to locate her birth mother. | |||
| Her adopted parents, the strictly religious David and Judith Taylor, had brought her up in a very controlled and over-disciplined manner and as a teenager Belle had rebelled against their conservative lifestyle, getting in with the wrong crowd, busking on the streets and rejecting Susan, the name they gave her. | |||
| == Storylines == | |||
| === Arrival in Summer Bay === | |||
| Belle was first seen in Summer Bay when Ric Dalby found her living rough in the bush and befriended her, bringing her food and even hiding her out in his bedroom. Her presence in the house was unearthed by Ric's foster mother ] who insisted that with her husband ] being terminally ill they couldn't let her stay with them at present. Belle continued to turn up though, much to the disgust of Ric's girlfriend ]. Things came to a head when Belle accidentally knocked Flynn down the stairs, weakening him and bringing forward his death and a horrified Belle took off when she heard ] (Ric's grandfather) approaching. | |||
| Caught breaking into ]' car on her return to the Bay and on realising that her adoptive parents really didn't care for her, a sympathetic Irene offered her a room in her house and Belle still lives with Irene to this day. | |||
| === Belle and Ric get together === | |||
| Belle was quick to pick up where she had left off with Ric, spending time with him and eventually planting a kiss on him in front of his girlfriend Cassie. Her scheming paid off with Ric and Cassie splitting and Ric and Belle getting together soon after. | |||
| === Discovering the truth === | |||
| Belle quickly befriended ], causing him to split from his girlfriend Matilda Hunter, Cassie's best friend. However behind the scenes was an insecure girl desperate to track down her birth mother in the hope that she would finally get the love and attention she craved. Confiding in Ric they set about locating her birth mother and the trail led to Katherine (Kitty) Lansdowne, revealed to be Belle's grandmother. Kitty devastated Belle with the revelation that her mother had died but the viewers knew differently however as Belle's mother was revealed to be ]. Neither of them was aware of this and when Amanda returned to the Bay and began clashing with Irene and other residents Belle quickly took against her. | |||
| === A new mother === | |||
| A few weeks later Belle was surprised to see Kitty in the Bay and when it was revealed that Amanda was Kitty's daughter Belle finally came to the realisation that her mother was the woman she despised. The explosion at Jack and Martha's wedding and the subsequent chopper crash that left Belle, amongst others, lost in the Bush led to Amanda miraculously 'feeling' Belle being bitten by a spider and leading the rescue teams to them. | |||
| === Belle and Ric break up === | |||
| With Belle devastated by Ric's decision to get back with his ex Cassie and desperate to win him back, Amanda came up with elaborate schemes to help and caught up on the idea of having a 'cool' mum relations thawed between the two and Belle moved in with Amanda. | |||
| === A new love interest, Drew Curtis === | |||
| Eventually realising that Ric was not going to be won round Belle got together with ] until Drew suddenly dumped her, seemingly for another woman. Turning to Amanda, Belles mother for support Belle was devastated and angry when her own mother confided that she was in fact the other woman and Belle ran straight back to Irene and her friend Lucas, eventually getting together with him. | |||
| === Back together with Drew === | |||
| When Lucas and Belle briefly split up, Drew told her he still had feelings for her. Even though she and Lucas had patched up their differences Belle still felt conflicted. In order to avoid Drew, Belle accepted a lift home only to be kidnapped as part of her Aunt Kelli's revenge plan against Amanda. Found safe and well by her stepfather Peter Baker, relations between Belle and Amanda began to thaw once more and Belle continued to stand by Lucas, fighting her feelings for Drew. Pushing Drew into the arms of new girl Lisa Duffy, Belle was devastated to think that they'd slept together so slept with Lucas, only to realise that Drew and Lisa hadn't slept together after all. With Lisa increasingly suspicious that Drew and Belle had feelings for each other and receiving confirmation from Drew, she announced the news to a devastated Lucas. | |||
| === A break-up and a reunited couple === | |||
| Ironically Belle and Drew split up again almost immediately when it appeared that Amanda had cheated on Peter and both of the youngsters sided with their parents. There then followed several months when the pair seemed to be on and off on a virtually weekly basis, as Belle disapproved of the antics of Drew's troublesome friend ] and got him kicked out of school by stealing one of his essays. In the end they reunited. | |||
| ==Character development== | |||
| === Two new foster-siblings === | |||
| Belle seemed to have a problem with Geoff Campbell at first, but are now friends, probably because of his ongoing feud with Lucas, and when he briefly came to stay with Irene she did her best to make him feel uncomfortable, wandering around wearing as few clothes as possible. (They both got more than they bargained for however when he accidentally walked in on her in the shower). Conversely she seemed to get on well with his sister Annie, developing a big sister relationship with her. | |||
| ===Characterisation=== | |||
| === Dom and Belle; stalking, kidnapping and a car accident === | |||
| Belle is described as being a "cheeky, extroverted young girl".<ref name="RTÉ">{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/homeandaway/character_belletaylor.html|title=Belle Taylor|work=RTÉ Television|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> She was full of insecurity from her "disciplined and controlling" upbringing. She craved love and attention from her parents, which they never gave to her.<ref name="RTÉ"/> Belle's parents were shocked to discover their daughter was rejecting their conservative lifestyle and hanging out with the wrong crowd.<ref name="RTÉ"/> On her character Tovey said "Belle is fantastic, she's sassy and fun with quite a mouth on her! We have also seen a more vulnerable side to Belle with her romance with Aden this year and next year, we will see Belle go on a bit of a downward spiral which is a good challenge as an actor".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/homeandaway/cast_jessicatovey.html|title=Cast – Jessica Tovey|work=RTÉ Television|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> | |||
| Belle found herself once again encountering ], who had previously caused problems for her and her ex-boyfriend Ric, when Drew began buying car parts from him. The parts turned out to be stolen and Dom, who seemed to have a thing for Belle, agreed to take responsibility in return for Belle kissing him. When he was released from jail, he effectively kidnapped Belle and when Drew rescued her he ended up running Dom down. When Dom turned up injured at the Diner, Belle took him to hospital and, much to Drew's consternation, started visiting him there. | |||
| ===Introduction=== | |||
| === Working at Coastal News === | |||
| Tovey explained that her character comes to Summer Bay shortly after learning that she was adopted, as her birth mother lives nearby. A homeless Belle befriends ] (]) and he agrees to let her stay in his bedroom, though he keeps her presence a secret from his foster parents, and tells her that someone in the house is sick.<ref name="Heaven">{{cite magazine|date=3–9 June 2006|title=Heaven and Belle|magazine=]|issue=22|page=32}}</ref> Belle is soon discovered by Ric's girlfriend ] (]), who Tovey said is "a bit shocked, as you can imagine!"<ref name="Heaven"/> Ric's foster mother ] (]) hears them, and Ric and Belle explain everything to her. While Sally is sympathetic, she tells Ric that Belle cannot stay as her husband ] (]) has cancer. Tovey told an '']'' columnist that Ric just tells Belle to go without explaining why, so she "doesn't realise why it's such a big deal" and sneaks back in later on.<ref name="Heaven"/> When she goes to use the bathroom, Belle comes face to face with Flynn and they are both startled, which leads to Belle knocking him down the stairs as she runs away. Tovey said that Belle is so panicked that she does not think to stop and help an unconscious Flynn.<ref name="Heaven"/> | |||
| Belle enjoys photography and earned an internship at the local paper "Coastal News" after leaving school. | |||
| === |
===Painkiller addiction=== | ||
| In 2009, producers used the character to explore painkiller addiction.<ref name="DrugsHell">{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/soaps/home-and-away/news/jessica-tovey-on-belles-drugs-hell/5955 |title=Jessica Tovey on Belle's drugs hell! |work=] |publisher=] |date=15 June 2009 |access-date=22 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614051147/http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/soaps/home-and-away/news/jessica-tovey-on-belles-drugs-hell/5955 |archive-date=14 June 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref> The storyline meant Tovey had to spend weeks crying and shouting, but she said that she was determined to do a good job and worked hard on the scenes.<ref name="DrugsHell"/><ref name="Bristol">{{cite news|url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/entertainment/Jessica-Tovey-s-character-struggle/article-894855-detail/article.html |title=Jessica Tovey's character struggle |date=11 April 2009 |work=] |publisher=] |access-date=22 July 2010 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Tovey revealed that the addiction storyline made a bigger impression on her than any of Belle's other plots.<ref name="Bristol"/> She also stated, "It was very challenging at points but I have to say I was quite relieved when it was over because it was quite exhausting at points".<ref name="Bristol"/> Belle spends weeks lying to cover up her addiction and she becomes "erratic". Her painkiller addiction is discovered by her boyfriend, ] (]), after he gives her a necklace and she sells it to buy more drugs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/623279-spoiler-belle-facing-drug-hell|title=Spoiler: Belle facing drug hell|date=16 April 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=29 July 2010}}</ref> Tovey told Carolyn Stewart from '']'' that it was "a huge deal" for Belle to give up the necklace to her dealer, but she has nothing else to give him.<ref name="Over">{{cite magazine|last=Stewart|first=Carolyn|date=28 March – 3 April 2009|title=Aden tells Belle, 'It's over!'|magazine=]|publisher=]|issue=13|pages=2–3}}</ref> ] (]) spots the necklace in a pawnshop and tells Aden, who is heartbroken.<ref name="Over"/> Tovey explained, "He's so in love with her, but by pawning the necklace, she's essentially saying that the drugs mean more to her than he does. She might not think that's true, but the fact is she's put her need for drugs before everything else in her life."<ref name="Over"/> | |||
| After Dan's death Belle tried to support Drew, who was grieving for his uncle. However Belle chose to focus on her new job with Coastal News, and at Dan's memorial (who was also father to her half-brother Ryan), Belle arrived with her boss Gavin to take some photos for the paper. When some of the students of Summer Bay High lead by ] decided to go to the beach to hold their own memorial for Dan as the surf club was packed out, Gavin thought it would make a much better story for the paper than the actual memorial that was being held inside the Surf Club. Belle was then forced to follow the students on to the beach and take pictures, instead of participating in the memorial at the Surf Club. Drew was very disappointed that his girlfriend wasn't there, but Belle thought Drew was being hard and selfish. Belle and Drew continued to fight over the next few weeks about Belle's new job, leading to a big fight on the 11th of March, when they officially broke up for good. Drew moved to the city to live with his dad and stepmother. Belle realised it was really over between them, she spent the next few days forgetting Drew, and even though she was furious with him, she still missed him. Days later, after not talking for a while, Drew returned for a proper goodbye on the 21st of March. They agreed that they have had a great time together, they kissed for the very last time then Drew walked out of her life. | |||
| When Aden confronts Belle, she denies taking the pills, but he tears the room apart and finds her stash. He then "absolutely loses it" when Belle continues lying to him and storms out.<ref name="Over"/> Belle later tells Aden that she will try to get off the drugs, but he know that he cannot be around to witness it, as he went through a similar situation with his alcoholic father. Tovey noted that everything Belle said brought back bad memories for Aden.<ref name="Over"/> She also commented that Aden questions everything Belle ever told him and realises that she is no longer the person he fell in love with.<ref name="Over"/> A devastated Belle sees that she has pushed him too far and their relationship is over.<ref name="Over"/> Tovey said Belle "feels she has nothing left" and that "her whole world seems to be crumbling" because of her addiction.<ref name="Over"/> Tovey thought that fans of the couple should be worried as there seemed to be no way to get through the situation, as Belle's addiction had worn them both "down to their bare bones."<ref name="Over"/> | |||
| === A new job === | |||
| After ] was found dead on the beach, Belle quit her job at the Coastal News after constantly having to have to go against her beliefs. She then started working at the Den with her step-aunt ]. | |||
| ===Departure=== | |||
| === Relationship with Aden Jefferies === | |||
| In April 2009, Tovey announced that she had quit ''Home and Away''.<ref name="Exit">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s15/home-and-away/news/a171973/tovey-reveals-reason-behind-ha-exit.html|title=Tovey reveals reason behind 'H&A' exit|last=Rowe|first=Darren|date=17 August 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s15/home-and-away/news/a155505/tovey-films-final-home-and-away-scenes.html|title=Tovey films final 'Home and Away' scenes|last=Rowe|first=Darren|date=11 May 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> On her decision to leave, Tovey said "I can't stress enough what a hard decision it was and that I nearly changed my mind a few times. I still feel sad about it, but I really just wanted a change".<ref name="Exit"/> Tovey's final scenes were filmed in the same month and shown on Australian screens in August.<ref name="Exit"/> Tovey said she found filming her final scenes "heartbreaking", but she said that she was happy with the writers' decision to kill off the character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s15/home-and-away/news/a171994/tovey-reveals-heartbreaking-final-scenes.html|title=Tovey reveals "heartbreaking" final scenes|last=Rowe|first=Darren|date=17 August 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> | |||
| It wasnt love at first sight for Belle and Aden, but the romance began to blossom when Aden began working at the diner. After weeks of Belle denying her attraction towards Aden, it was finally confirmed when she was seen taking pictures of a topless Aden on the beach in the morning after Nicole's party, in which the new found attitude of Aden had made Belle even more attracted, and her attraction to him could then not be doubted. They clashed when Aden assaulted ] for sexually abusing ] - an act which Belle did not understand at the time, but would later. The two were brought closer together after Aden's father was taken to hospital, where Belle began showing genuine signs of affection after opting to remain with Aden at the hospital to provide her support. After this, Aden got drunk and climbed through the window of Belle's bedroom. Previously, Belle would have thrown him out but her growing feelings for him meant that she could not reject him. The two kissed the next day after Aden found out that Belle had taken photos of him - and he was now sure that she felt the same way. Then followed a period of denial for Belle, who was ashamed to accept her true feelings for the bad boy Aden. | |||
| Once she embraced her affection, the two embarked on a relationship. Everything ran smoothly until Aden was unwilling to sleep with Belle, which prompted her to think that he may of gone off her. Then, in order to stop Belle finding out about the sexual abuse he had at the hands of his grandfather, Aden called Belle a skank and broke up with her. After they broke up, Belle went out on a date with Angelo - which she had previously been uneasy to do but when she spotted Aden watching her talking to Angelo - she went on a date with Angelo to spite Aden. Aden's jealousy upon seeing Belle with another man caused him to reveal all to Belle about the abuse suffered at the hands of his grandfather - Belle took him back to the displeasure of Irene. On August 1, after having many failed attempts (because of Aden's issues), Belle and Aden had sex after he secretly went to counseling sessions. | |||
| ==Storylines== | |||
| === Belle and Angelo === | |||
| Shortly after finding out she is adopted, Belle arrives in the Bay to find her birth mother. Ric Dalby finds Belle living rough and he brings her food, he later lets Belle hide out in his bedroom. Ric's foster mother, Sally Fletcher finds Belle and insists that she leaves as her husband, Flynn Saunders is terminally ill. Belle returns a few times and one day she accidentally knocks Flynn down the stairs, which weakens his condition. Belle is caught breaking into ]'s (]) car and Irene offers her a room at her house. Belle begins spending time with Ric and she kisses him in front of his girlfriend, Cassie Turner. Ric and Cassie split and Belle and Ric begin dating. | |||
| In order to take her mind off the trouble with Aden, Irene encouraged Belle to get back into her passion, photography. While out and about with her camera she bumped into a man named Murray. They soon got chatting and Murray let her in on a secret - there is supposedly toxic waste buried under a nearby development site. Murray knew this because he worked for the council, but when he tried to object to building they fired him. He told Belle that all this was true and he needed her help to stop the development. Belle then became involved in protests around the development site with other environmentalists, but was arrested by Angelo for trespassing. Angelo decided to drop the charges because she is his girlfriend. Later, Murray disappeared. Belle tracked him down and he told her that it was all a mistake, there was no toxic waste. Belle was suspicious of his sudden change of attitude and asked Angelo for help. Risking his job, Angelo looked into Murray's accounts and discovered thousands of dollars had been put in there by the council, this led Belle to believe that they payed Murray off. | |||
| Ric helps Belle in the search for her birth mother and they find ] (Geraldine Turner), who turns out to be Belle's grandmother. Kitty tells Belle that her mother is dead, but a few weeks later it is revealed that ] (]) is Belle's birth mother. Belle is sad when Ric decides to get back with Cassie. Amanda tries to help Belle win Ric back and relations between mother and daughter thaw. Belle then moves in with Amanda. Belle dates ] (]) until Drew suddenly splits up with her for another woman. Amanda tells Belle that she is the other woman and Belle goes back to Irene and starts dating ] (]). One night, Belle accepts a lift home and is kidnapped by her aunt, Kelli Vale (Alexa Ashton). Peter Baker (]) rescues her and relations between Belle and Amanda improve once more. Drew realises that he loves Belle and she still has feelings for him, but she continues to stand by Lucas. Belle mistakenly thinks that Drew slept with ] (]) and she sleeps with Lucas. Drew and Belle later get back together. Drew splits up with Belle when he finds out that she knew about Kelli's revenge plan on Amanda. Kelli spikes Amanda's drink, but Belle drinks it and collapses. Peter arrests Kelli and Amanda decides to leave town. Belle tries to talk Drew out of drag racing with Lisa and ] (Sam North), but he does not listen. Dom gets Belle drunk and refuses to let her go, she is rescued by Lisa. Belle is upset when Lisa is later killed during a drag race. | |||
| === Is the development site a toxic waste dump? === | |||
| Meanwhile, after Aden was let out of the rehab and found not guilty by the court, he got a job at the diner, however there was tension between him and Belle working alongside each other so Aden quit and began working at the development site. Belle, still convinced the development site was a toxic waste dump, turned to ], who had previously worked for the council. He said he didn't believe it but told her to meet with an old friend who also worked for the council in the 60s. The man in question was on his death bed in the hospital. He told Belle the whole story but died shortly afterwards. In a last ditched attempt, Belle confronted Aden and pleaded with him to help her, he agreed and snuck into the office at the development site to steal a copy of the plans which listed where the toxic waste was buried. His boss, however, discovered that the plan was missing, and knew instantly that it was Aden. Aden gave Belle the plan and she left it in her room, she then received a phone call telling her Aden had been hurt at work, she panicked and went straight there. When she got there she saw that Aden was fine, and realized that it was a prank phonecall. When she got back home, she discovered the plans were gone, someone had snuck in and stolen them back. | |||
| Belle is given a cadetship at the local paper that she was working towards. Dom kidnaps Belle and she tries to convince him to let her go by kissing him. Drew rescues Belle and he accidentally runs Dom over. Dom returns and Belle get him medical help and a reference for a job in The Diner. Belle later forces him to leave town. Drew also leaves after he tells Belle's boss that she quit her job and they argue. Belle is offered a job helping ] (]) set up The Den. The business does not last and both Leah and Belle are offered jobs in The Diner. | |||
| At this point she had already rekinkled her romance with Aden, while still seeing Angelo. Aden was fired, his bosses reasons was because there were too many workers, but Aden became suspicious when he found that that no one else had been laid off. While researching the toxic waste, she discovered that it contains chemicals that can cause cancer. She put 2 and 2 togather and realized this must be the reason so many residents of Summer Bay have suffered from cancer - Flynn, Sally, Alf, Vinnie, Martha and the recently deceased toddler Joe - to name a few. Frantic, she begged Rachel to give her the medical records of residents who have had cancer, but Rachel refused, saying it would be a breach of confidentiality and would put her job on the line. But later, Rachel gave her a list of residents who have had cancer, but told her that she would need to get their/family members consent before taking the medical records to the police. Belle went door to door of the people who had lost family members to cancer but all refused to talk to her. Rachel then persuaded Dane, the guardian of the toddler Joe, to talk to Belle. He agreed to sign the consent form. | |||
| Belle's new job brings her closer to Aden. While drunk one night, Aden climbs through Belle's bedroom window and she makes him sleep on the floor. However, in the morning, Belle finds Aden in her bed. She initially rebuffs Aden's advances, but they later share a kiss. When Belle wanted to take things further, Aden kept putting her off. Belle goes on a date with ] (]), which makes Aden jealous. Aden tells Belle that his grandfather abused him, which made him scared of being intimate with her. After Aden attends counselling, the couple sleep together. Aden and Belle are held hostage and Belle witnesses Aden undergo a breakdown. They are rescued by Angelo and Aden is admitted to psychiatric care, Belle also ends their relationship. She attempts to move on and begins dating Angelo. | |||
| === Belle and Aden's romance === | |||
| Belle realized that she still loved Aden. He told her that she had to tell Angelo about the 2 of them. But when Angelo was attacked and had to go to hospital for treatment she told Aden that now was not the right time to break it off with him. | |||
| A man named ] (Ben Tari) contacts Belle and tells her that the council is in on a plan to build on a toxic waste dump site. Belle attempts to help uncover the truth. She joins a protest against the site and is arrested by Angelo. Belle uncovers a link between the contaminated soil and local cancer cases. The site developers find out she is on to them and they break into the house to steal back plans Aden got for her. Belle asks Angelo to look into Murray's accounts and they discover that thousands of dollars have been paid to him by the council. Belle believes Murray has been paid off. During this time, Aden forces Belle to tell him that she still loves him and they kiss. Belle begins seeing Aden while she is still seeing Angelo. Angelo is attacked and Belle cannot break up with him while he is in hospital. Murray returns and tells Belle that he will help her, but Belle is unsure about trusting him. Belle's car is run off the road and the evidence that the toxic waste site causes cancer is stolen. Angelo finds out about Belle and Aden and publicly humiliates Belle. Aden finds Belle badly beaten and she is taken to hospital, where she names Angelo as her attacker. The Police find no evidence and Belle becomes depressed. | |||
| === The evidence is gone === | |||
| Murray came back into town, and told Belle he had a change of heart and was willing to help her. But Belle wasn't sure whether she could trust Murray after what happened before, so she shunned his offer. Viewers saw that Murray was being payed by the council to throw Belle off. While Belle was driving with the list of cancer patients and the evidence that the toxic waste caused cancer, a car came out of nowhere and made Belle crash into a tree. When Belle was at the hospital she realized she had left the sheets in the car, and begged Angelo to go and get them for her. He obliged, but before he got to the scene of the crash, Muray was there, he told the police who were around that Belle had asked him to get something from the car so he was looking for them. By the time Angelo had got there the sheets were gone. He asked Murray why he took them, but Murray said they weren't in the car when he was looking for them. | |||
| When Belle helps Leah out in the kitchen, ]'s (]) car hits the building, leaving her trapped and fighting for her life. She is diagnosed with a ] and she becomes paranoid, believing the developers are out to get her. She does not want to leave the hospital, but she eventually goes to Aden's. Belle struggles to cope and turns to painkillers to help her through. ] (]) refuses to supply her any more painkillers and she looks for other ways to get pills. Belle gets high with ] (]) while she is covering his music concert. Belle is sacked from her job when her boss finds pills in her desk drawer. Aden finds out about Belle's addiction and she decides to go ] on her own, but struggles to cope without Aden. Rachel is unconvinced when Belle says she has recovered. At Rachel's wedding, Belle takes some more pills and collapses. Her stomach is pumped and Rachel insists she goes to rehab. Belle gets clean with the help of Liam. | |||
| === New job === | |||
| Belle got offered a new job as a journalist at The Coastal News again by the new editor, after her article about the development site was published which she had dedicated to Jack. On her first day however her car broke down and she missed an interview so she called Aden who doesn't have time to talk as it was his first day at his new job too, and he didn't want to get caught chatting on the phone. So then Belle took a tablet from the drawer in her car to calm her down, and began to resort to drugs to calm her down. After her acting boss Paula finds the drugs in Belle's drawer, she get fired from the job. She lied Aden and Irene telling them that she quit her job after harassment from Paula. | |||
| Belle and Aden get back together and Aden asks Belle to move in with him. Aden decides to propose, so he borrows money from a loan shark to pay for a ring. Belle collapses in pain at the Diner and makes an appointment with Rachel for some tests. Belle is diagnosed with cancer and she decides to keep her condition a secret. Aden is beaten up by the loan shark and he tells Belle about the ring. Belle then surprises Aden by asking him to marry her instead. Belle asks Rachel to help her apply to get married within two weeks. Aden gets the ring and proposes to her properly. | |||
| === Drug addiction === | |||
| Since she nearly got run over by a car and got taken to hospital Belle has started to take painkillers as part of her medicine. one time she over dosed on non-prescribed drugs and Rachel told her that she has been over medicating herself and said that she should start to use paracietamol. But Belle still takes the painkillers as she is addicted to them. Freya gave Belle some 'pick me ups' (drugs) and so nobody would suspect she was a drug addict when Belle told the police about Freya, she claimed to have purchased the drugs from Freya for an under-cover investigation for the newspaper. However, Nicole realises Belle is using drugs, but is persuaded by Belle not tell anyone especially Aden as she wasn't going to take them anymore. | |||
| However Aden finds out and this leaves their relationship rocky. | |||
| Rachel encourages Belle to tell Aden the truth that she is dying, she resolves to tell Aden the truth after the wedding. Belle is also told that her cancer is spreading quickly. ] (]) sees Belle taking pills and Belle is forced to tell her about her cancer. Belle refuses, but when she collapses, Nicole tells Aden. Belle worries that Aden will not turn up to the wedding, but he does and they marry. Following the honeymoon, Belle confesses to Nicole that she does not think she has much time left. Belle asks Aden to call Amanda and tell her what was going on. Liam also arrives to apologise for his behaviour when he was on drugs. Amanda refuses to believe that Belle is dying and arranges for a second opinion. On her release from hospital, Belle goes for a walk along the beach. Aden carries her back home and she says goodbye to everyone. During the night, Belle dies peacefully in Aden's arms. | |||
| === Overdose === | |||
| At Rachel and Tony's wedding, Belle finds some old drugs in her bag, Aden finds them too when he was looking for a pen. Aden and Belle have a fight and because Belle is upset she starts takings the drugs again and washes them down with a glass of champagne. She leans up against a tree and collapses and her heart stops its a race against time to save her life. Rachel ends up performing CPR to save her. | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| === Rehab, Belle and Liam's friendship and Aden cheating on Belle with Nicole === | |||
| For her portrayal of Belle, Tovey received a nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent at the 2007 ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/logie-award-nominations/2007/04/02/1175366144499.html|title=Logie Award nominations|work=]|publisher=]|date=2 April 2007|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> In 2010, she was nominated for Most Popular Actress.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/national/logie-awards-full-list-of-winners/story-e6frg15u-1225861311455|title=2010 Logie Awards: Full list of winners|date=2 May 2010|work=Perth Now|publisher=]|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> At the 2007 ], Tovey was nominated for "Sexiest Female".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/scoop/a64083/inside-soap-awards-2007-the-nominations.html|first=Kris|last=Green|title=''Inside Soap'' Awards 2007: The Nominations|work=]|publisher=]|date=3 July 2007|access-date=22 July 2010}}</ref> In 2009, she received a nomination for Best Actress and Best Storyline for the drug addiction plot.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tv.sky.com/inside-soap-awards-2009-nominees |title=''Inside Soap'' Awards 2009 Nominees |work=] |publisher=] |access-date=22 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716082425/http://tv.sky.com/inside-soap-awards-2009-nominees |archive-date=16 July 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beaconradio.co.uk/article.asp?id=1401861 |title=Soap Awards |publisher=Beacon Radio |access-date=7 July 2010 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 2010 saw Belle and Aden's wedding nominated in the Bride and Doom category at the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://holysoap.five.tv/neighbours/news/all-about-soap-nods-revealed-5490 |title=All About Soap nods revealed |date=16 February 2010 |work=] |publisher=] |access-date=22 July 2010 }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Belle's funeral episode was nominated for an Australian Writer's Guild Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awg.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266&Itemid=391|title=2010 AWGIE Awards Nominations|publisher=]|access-date=10 June 2012}}</ref> | |||
| After the overdose, Belle goes to rehab. She receives a letter from Aden breaking up with her until she can beat her problem. Belle's old boss came to visit and offers her a sum of money to take pictures of Liam (the rock star) but Belle refuses. Later on, Liam asks Belle to take a picture of him and his son, Belle agrees but is unsure whether to give them to the papers or not. Annie visits her and Belle asks Annie to develop pictures for her. Alf found the picture that Annie had left in the bar and finds Aden to give them to Annie. Aden looks at the pictures and finds a picture of Belle hugging the rockstar which Aden assumes theres something going on. Annie finds Aden and takes the pictures to Belle. However the next day they end up in the papers. Belle denies it to Liam and Liam feels betrayed. Belle asks for a day pass where she goes to visit Aden and sees him with Nicole. Belle is devastated and later confronts Aden; Aden told her that he knows Belle and Liam are together but Belle says they are just friends and Belle shouts "next time you want to have sex with Nicole close the door". Roman overhears and kicks Aden out. Belle returns to rehab where Liam finds out that someone else copied the pictures and it was not Belle. | |||
| A '']'' journalist stated "You have to admire Belle, you really do. She might look like a stiff wind would blow her over but it's not every girl who can tolerate being called a skank by her teenage boyfriend and still come back for more, but she did."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Aden+and+abetting%3B+HOME+AND+AWAY+WEEKDAYS,+FIVE,+6pm.-a0186297213|title=Aden and abetting|date=4 October 2008|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref> In April 2009, a reporter from the same paper revealed that they were less than impressed with Belle's painkiller addiction storyline, saying "Misery, thy name is Belle Taylor. Well, it is if you're on about the strung-out journalist. She's spent the past weeks driving us up the wall with her whingeing, while at the same time gobbling any pills she can get her hands on. Thank goodness she got the sack from her job at the paper otherwise who knows how long the storyline would have rumbled on for."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Soap+stories.-a0197579346|title=Soap stories|date=11 April 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref> | |||
| === After Rehab and Belles' relationship with Liam === | |||
| She helps Liam after rehab leaving Aden not very happy. Although Belle tells Liam she can't be in a relationship at the current time he continues to pursue her and they eventually become a couple which pushes Aden further from Belle and when Aden tells Belle he saw Liam buying drugs she doesn't believe him, calling him jealous. When Belle finds out that Aden was right and Liam is back on drugs she gets angry and walks out. She returns later to check on him and convinces him to go to hospital. When they get outside Belle's old workmate is there trying to get photos of Liam while he's high. Liam escapes by climbing a tree and getting onto the roof of his motel. Aden arrives and goes onto the roof to get Liam down and Aden falls off the edge and is left clutching for life. Aden eventually pulls himself up and convinces Liam to go down. | |||
| Another writer for the ''Daily Record'' commented on Belle's last scenes, noting that she "managed to make it to death's door without losing her looks".<ref name="Stories">{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Soap+stories.-a0208082043|title=Soap stories|date=19 September 2009|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref> They added that "even the most hardened soap cynic" would have been moved to tears when Belle said goodbye to Aden.<ref name="Stories"/> Ruth Deller of television website ] said she had grown fond of Belle and Aden as a couple in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lowculture.co.uk/index.php/2009/10/31/soapstar-superstars-septemberoctober/ |title=Soapstar Superstars – September/October |last=Deller |first=Ruth |date=31 October 2009 |publisher=] |access-date=22 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820081854/http://lowculture.co.uk/index.php/2009/10/31/soapstar-superstars-septemberoctober/ |archive-date=20 August 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> ] named Belle and Aden as one of "Soaps' sexiest couples", while viewers voted them "''Home and Away's'' Hottest Couple" in a poll run on the ] website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virginmedia.com/tvradio/soaps/soaps-sexiest-couples.php?ssid=6|title=Soaps' sexiest couples|publisher=]|access-date=31 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://holysoap.channel5.com/homeandaway/news/home-and-aways-hottest-couple-9359 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525081337/https://www.webcitation.org/5yWm3sKz7?url=http://holysoap.channel5.com/homeandaway/news/home-and-aways-hottest-couple-9359 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 May 2024 |title=Home and Away's Hottest Couple |date=27 August 2010 |work=] |publisher=] |access-date=8 May 2011 }}</ref> | |||
| === Aden and Belle - Adelle - Back Together and Marriage Proposal === | |||
| With Liam in hospital and their relationship over, Aden consoles Belle and they begin to be friendly again. Belle and Aden eventually reunite. Aden and Belle recently moved into Roman's house together. Aden, plans on proposing to Belle but his plans hit a snag when he ends up unemployed and can't afford the money to buy a ring, so he ends up borrowing money from a loan shark, but things take an extremely violent and a life threatening turn.<ref>http://www.backtothebay.net/episodes/2009/4881.php</ref> | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| * at the ] | |||
| {{Home and Away}} | {{Home and Away characters|past}} | ||
| {{Vale}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Belle}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Belle}} | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
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Latest revision as of 01:41, 22 November 2024
For the screenwriter, see Belle Taylor (screenwriter).Soap opera character
| Belle Taylor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home and Away character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jessica Tovey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2006–2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 3 February 2006 (2006-02-03) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 11 August 2009 (2009-08-11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Julie McGauran | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Belle Taylor is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Jessica Tovey. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 3 February 2006. Belle's storylines included finding her birth mother, a drug addiction, her relationship with Aden Jefferies and being diagnosed with cancer. In 2009, it was announced that Tovey had quit the show and the writers decided to kill off the character. Belle made her last appearance on 11 August 2009.
Casting
Tovey joined Home and Away in 2006 when she was 18. The character of Belle was her first television role. On joining the cast, Tovey said she was "overwhelmed" and found it "daunting". She added "It was hard not to feel intimidated and nervous about joining the cast, this was really my first television role, so it was a huge step".
Character development
Characterisation
Belle is described as being a "cheeky, extroverted young girl". She was full of insecurity from her "disciplined and controlling" upbringing. She craved love and attention from her parents, which they never gave to her. Belle's parents were shocked to discover their daughter was rejecting their conservative lifestyle and hanging out with the wrong crowd. On her character Tovey said "Belle is fantastic, she's sassy and fun with quite a mouth on her! We have also seen a more vulnerable side to Belle with her romance with Aden this year and next year, we will see Belle go on a bit of a downward spiral which is a good challenge as an actor".
Introduction
Tovey explained that her character comes to Summer Bay shortly after learning that she was adopted, as her birth mother lives nearby. A homeless Belle befriends Ric Dalby (Mark Furze) and he agrees to let her stay in his bedroom, though he keeps her presence a secret from his foster parents, and tells her that someone in the house is sick. Belle is soon discovered by Ric's girlfriend Cassie Turner (Sharni Vinson), who Tovey said is "a bit shocked, as you can imagine!" Ric's foster mother Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie) hears them, and Ric and Belle explain everything to her. While Sally is sympathetic, she tells Ric that Belle cannot stay as her husband Flynn Saunders (Joel McIlroy) has cancer. Tovey told an Inside Soap columnist that Ric just tells Belle to go without explaining why, so she "doesn't realise why it's such a big deal" and sneaks back in later on. When she goes to use the bathroom, Belle comes face to face with Flynn and they are both startled, which leads to Belle knocking him down the stairs as she runs away. Tovey said that Belle is so panicked that she does not think to stop and help an unconscious Flynn.
Painkiller addiction
In 2009, producers used the character to explore painkiller addiction. The storyline meant Tovey had to spend weeks crying and shouting, but she said that she was determined to do a good job and worked hard on the scenes. Tovey revealed that the addiction storyline made a bigger impression on her than any of Belle's other plots. She also stated, "It was very challenging at points but I have to say I was quite relieved when it was over because it was quite exhausting at points". Belle spends weeks lying to cover up her addiction and she becomes "erratic". Her painkiller addiction is discovered by her boyfriend, Aden Jefferies (Todd Lasance), after he gives her a necklace and she sells it to buy more drugs. Tovey told Carolyn Stewart from TV Week that it was "a huge deal" for Belle to give up the necklace to her dealer, but she has nothing else to give him. Nicole Franklin (Tessa James) spots the necklace in a pawnshop and tells Aden, who is heartbroken. Tovey explained, "He's so in love with her, but by pawning the necklace, she's essentially saying that the drugs mean more to her than he does. She might not think that's true, but the fact is she's put her need for drugs before everything else in her life."
When Aden confronts Belle, she denies taking the pills, but he tears the room apart and finds her stash. He then "absolutely loses it" when Belle continues lying to him and storms out. Belle later tells Aden that she will try to get off the drugs, but he know that he cannot be around to witness it, as he went through a similar situation with his alcoholic father. Tovey noted that everything Belle said brought back bad memories for Aden. She also commented that Aden questions everything Belle ever told him and realises that she is no longer the person he fell in love with. A devastated Belle sees that she has pushed him too far and their relationship is over. Tovey said Belle "feels she has nothing left" and that "her whole world seems to be crumbling" because of her addiction. Tovey thought that fans of the couple should be worried as there seemed to be no way to get through the situation, as Belle's addiction had worn them both "down to their bare bones."
Departure
In April 2009, Tovey announced that she had quit Home and Away. On her decision to leave, Tovey said "I can't stress enough what a hard decision it was and that I nearly changed my mind a few times. I still feel sad about it, but I really just wanted a change". Tovey's final scenes were filmed in the same month and shown on Australian screens in August. Tovey said she found filming her final scenes "heartbreaking", but she said that she was happy with the writers' decision to kill off the character.
Storylines
Shortly after finding out she is adopted, Belle arrives in the Bay to find her birth mother. Ric Dalby finds Belle living rough and he brings her food, he later lets Belle hide out in his bedroom. Ric's foster mother, Sally Fletcher finds Belle and insists that she leaves as her husband, Flynn Saunders is terminally ill. Belle returns a few times and one day she accidentally knocks Flynn down the stairs, which weakens his condition. Belle is caught breaking into Irene Roberts's (Lynne McGranger) car and Irene offers her a room at her house. Belle begins spending time with Ric and she kisses him in front of his girlfriend, Cassie Turner. Ric and Cassie split and Belle and Ric begin dating.
Ric helps Belle in the search for her birth mother and they find Katherine Lansdowne (Geraldine Turner), who turns out to be Belle's grandmother. Kitty tells Belle that her mother is dead, but a few weeks later it is revealed that Amanda Vale (Holly Brisley) is Belle's birth mother. Belle is sad when Ric decides to get back with Cassie. Amanda tries to help Belle win Ric back and relations between mother and daughter thaw. Belle then moves in with Amanda. Belle dates Drew Curtis (Bobby Morley) until Drew suddenly splits up with her for another woman. Amanda tells Belle that she is the other woman and Belle goes back to Irene and starts dating Lucas Holden (Rhys Wakefield). One night, Belle accepts a lift home and is kidnapped by her aunt, Kelli Vale (Alexa Ashton). Peter Baker (Nicholas Bishop) rescues her and relations between Belle and Amanda improve once more. Drew realises that he loves Belle and she still has feelings for him, but she continues to stand by Lucas. Belle mistakenly thinks that Drew slept with Lisa Duffy (Jessica McNamee) and she sleeps with Lucas. Drew and Belle later get back together. Drew splits up with Belle when he finds out that she knew about Kelli's revenge plan on Amanda. Kelli spikes Amanda's drink, but Belle drinks it and collapses. Peter arrests Kelli and Amanda decides to leave town. Belle tries to talk Drew out of drag racing with Lisa and Dom Moran (Sam North), but he does not listen. Dom gets Belle drunk and refuses to let her go, she is rescued by Lisa. Belle is upset when Lisa is later killed during a drag race.
Belle is given a cadetship at the local paper that she was working towards. Dom kidnaps Belle and she tries to convince him to let her go by kissing him. Drew rescues Belle and he accidentally runs Dom over. Dom returns and Belle get him medical help and a reference for a job in The Diner. Belle later forces him to leave town. Drew also leaves after he tells Belle's boss that she quit her job and they argue. Belle is offered a job helping Leah Patterson-Baker (Ada Nicodemou) set up The Den. The business does not last and both Leah and Belle are offered jobs in The Diner.
Belle's new job brings her closer to Aden. While drunk one night, Aden climbs through Belle's bedroom window and she makes him sleep on the floor. However, in the morning, Belle finds Aden in her bed. She initially rebuffs Aden's advances, but they later share a kiss. When Belle wanted to take things further, Aden kept putting her off. Belle goes on a date with Angelo Rosetta (Luke Jacobz), which makes Aden jealous. Aden tells Belle that his grandfather abused him, which made him scared of being intimate with her. After Aden attends counselling, the couple sleep together. Aden and Belle are held hostage and Belle witnesses Aden undergo a breakdown. They are rescued by Angelo and Aden is admitted to psychiatric care, Belle also ends their relationship. She attempts to move on and begins dating Angelo.
A man named Murray Buchanan (Ben Tari) contacts Belle and tells her that the council is in on a plan to build on a toxic waste dump site. Belle attempts to help uncover the truth. She joins a protest against the site and is arrested by Angelo. Belle uncovers a link between the contaminated soil and local cancer cases. The site developers find out she is on to them and they break into the house to steal back plans Aden got for her. Belle asks Angelo to look into Murray's accounts and they discover that thousands of dollars have been paid to him by the council. Belle believes Murray has been paid off. During this time, Aden forces Belle to tell him that she still loves him and they kiss. Belle begins seeing Aden while she is still seeing Angelo. Angelo is attacked and Belle cannot break up with him while he is in hospital. Murray returns and tells Belle that he will help her, but Belle is unsure about trusting him. Belle's car is run off the road and the evidence that the toxic waste site causes cancer is stolen. Angelo finds out about Belle and Aden and publicly humiliates Belle. Aden finds Belle badly beaten and she is taken to hospital, where she names Angelo as her attacker. The Police find no evidence and Belle becomes depressed.
When Belle helps Leah out in the kitchen, Kane Phillips's (Sam Atwell) car hits the building, leaving her trapped and fighting for her life. She is diagnosed with a compression fracture and she becomes paranoid, believing the developers are out to get her. She does not want to leave the hospital, but she eventually goes to Aden's. Belle struggles to cope and turns to painkillers to help her through. Rachel Armstrong (Amy Mathews) refuses to supply her any more painkillers and she looks for other ways to get pills. Belle gets high with Liam Murphy (Axle Whitehead) while she is covering his music concert. Belle is sacked from her job when her boss finds pills in her desk drawer. Aden finds out about Belle's addiction and she decides to go cold turkey on her own, but struggles to cope without Aden. Rachel is unconvinced when Belle says she has recovered. At Rachel's wedding, Belle takes some more pills and collapses. Her stomach is pumped and Rachel insists she goes to rehab. Belle gets clean with the help of Liam.
Belle and Aden get back together and Aden asks Belle to move in with him. Aden decides to propose, so he borrows money from a loan shark to pay for a ring. Belle collapses in pain at the Diner and makes an appointment with Rachel for some tests. Belle is diagnosed with cancer and she decides to keep her condition a secret. Aden is beaten up by the loan shark and he tells Belle about the ring. Belle then surprises Aden by asking him to marry her instead. Belle asks Rachel to help her apply to get married within two weeks. Aden gets the ring and proposes to her properly.
Rachel encourages Belle to tell Aden the truth that she is dying, she resolves to tell Aden the truth after the wedding. Belle is also told that her cancer is spreading quickly. Nicole Franklin (Tessa James) sees Belle taking pills and Belle is forced to tell her about her cancer. Belle refuses, but when she collapses, Nicole tells Aden. Belle worries that Aden will not turn up to the wedding, but he does and they marry. Following the honeymoon, Belle confesses to Nicole that she does not think she has much time left. Belle asks Aden to call Amanda and tell her what was going on. Liam also arrives to apologise for his behaviour when he was on drugs. Amanda refuses to believe that Belle is dying and arranges for a second opinion. On her release from hospital, Belle goes for a walk along the beach. Aden carries her back home and she says goodbye to everyone. During the night, Belle dies peacefully in Aden's arms.
Reception
For her portrayal of Belle, Tovey received a nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent at the 2007 Logie Awards. In 2010, she was nominated for Most Popular Actress. At the 2007 Inside Soap Awards, Tovey was nominated for "Sexiest Female". In 2009, she received a nomination for Best Actress and Best Storyline for the drug addiction plot. 2010 saw Belle and Aden's wedding nominated in the Bride and Doom category at the All About Soap Awards. Belle's funeral episode was nominated for an Australian Writer's Guild Award.
A Daily Record journalist stated "You have to admire Belle, you really do. She might look like a stiff wind would blow her over but it's not every girl who can tolerate being called a skank by her teenage boyfriend and still come back for more, but she did." In April 2009, a reporter from the same paper revealed that they were less than impressed with Belle's painkiller addiction storyline, saying "Misery, thy name is Belle Taylor. Well, it is if you're on about the strung-out journalist. She's spent the past weeks driving us up the wall with her whingeing, while at the same time gobbling any pills she can get her hands on. Thank goodness she got the sack from her job at the paper otherwise who knows how long the storyline would have rumbled on for."
Another writer for the Daily Record commented on Belle's last scenes, noting that she "managed to make it to death's door without losing her looks". They added that "even the most hardened soap cynic" would have been moved to tears when Belle said goodbye to Aden. Ruth Deller of television website Lowculture said she had grown fond of Belle and Aden as a couple in 2009. Virgin Media named Belle and Aden as one of "Soaps' sexiest couples", while viewers voted them "Home and Away's Hottest Couple" in a poll run on the Holy Soap website.
References
- ^ Bennett, Cath (5 April 2009). "Home when away". The Dominion Post. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- ^ "Belle Taylor". RTÉ Television. RTÉ. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "Cast – Jessica Tovey". RTÉ Television. RTÉ. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- ^ "Heaven and Belle". Inside Soap. No. 22. 3–9 June 2006. p. 32.
- ^ "Jessica Tovey on Belle's drugs hell!". What's on TV. IPC Media. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- ^ "Jessica Tovey's character struggle". Bristol Evening Post. Northcliffe Media. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "Spoiler: Belle facing drug hell". Metro. Associated Press. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
- ^ Stewart, Carolyn (28 March – 3 April 2009). "Aden tells Belle, 'It's over!'". TV Week. No. 13. ACP Magazines. pp. 2–3.
- ^ Rowe, Darren (17 August 2009). "Tovey reveals reason behind 'H&A' exit". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- Rowe, Darren (11 May 2009). "Tovey films final 'Home and Away' scenes". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- Rowe, Darren (17 August 2009). "Tovey reveals "heartbreaking" final scenes". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "Logie Award nominations". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 2 April 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "2010 Logie Awards: Full list of winners". Perth Now. News Limited. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- Green, Kris (3 July 2007). "Inside Soap Awards 2007: The Nominations". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "Inside Soap Awards 2009 Nominees". Sky. BSkyB. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "Soap Awards". Beacon Radio. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- "All About Soap nods revealed". Holy Soap. Channel 5. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "2010 AWGIE Awards Nominations". Australian Writers' Guild. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
- "Aden and abetting". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- "Soap stories". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- ^ "Soap stories". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- Deller, Ruth (31 October 2009). "Soapstar Superstars – September/October". Lowculture. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- "Soaps' sexiest couples". Virgin Media. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
- "Home and Away's Hottest Couple". Holy Soap. Channel 5. 27 August 2010. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2011.