Kirin is very mature for his age, but Belle is not. She is a nice girl, but needs to continue with her education before getting involved with a boy. The storyline, for the pair of them starting up a lemonade distillery, is beyond a joke.

I don't mind Belle and Kirin at all. He's 18, she's 16, it's summer, they've got time on their hands, they're mucking about with setting up a "business", she's fallen for him. Pretty natural really. It's a shame if he doesn't feel the same.

Rather see Belle and Kirin than Kirin and Vanessa - that whole story has done Vanessa no favours, and makes Kirin act way too old.

I think they Should remain friends

I think the cordial distillery being set up at the sweet factory is actually a decent idea. Kirin is basically part of the Sharma dynasty thanks to yummy mummy Priya and bringing Rishi in on it actually makes sense. I'm glad it fits with an existing successful business to allow him a decent springboard.

It would have been ridiculous for him to set up some internet business that suddenly becomes an overnight success. By putting him in the factory in his own right, it gives him far more scope to interact with many different characters.

I've just realised just Belle is the only girl of her age (or anywhere close to it) in the whole village, are there any other young, attractive women?? Tracy perhaps? What is she, like 25?

Victoria must be the closest, at 21. Tracy's easily mid twenties, as Missing Carly must be.

There's a massive lack of teens in the village right now, which is a shame, because you don't get any decent friendships. Since Gemma died and Sean left, there's only Belle, Lachlan, and the rather elderly Kirin .

He's 18 going on 45. she's 16 but seems more like 12. While the actual age gap is nothing, the mental one is massive. I think Kirin and Vanessa are more suited in that way. He was old for his years before he got with Vanessa, but I don't suppose it helps his 'teenager' credibility that the actor is in his twenties.

No, it doesn't help that they cast someone who's clearly well into his twenties, and it is a shame, because the show could do with some decent teens.

I don't think Belle behaves like a 12-year old though. She seems very 16 to me, looks out for the other kids, takes responsibility. She's hardly playing with Barbies. I quite like her these days.

I will NEVER say that about Belle - even if they have tried to improve her. She's, to me, still the ultimate devious, thieving little brat.

Eden Taylor-Draper has changed a lot looks-wise recently though. I sometimes wonder if it's really her.

Exactly. The characters are close in physical age. Belle's bound to have matured as a result of recent experiences. She's been responsible for a death, gone to young offenders and suffered a serious mental illness. She's not in Kansas anymore. I thought she really seemed mature during the accident, when she was sensitive and responsible around the kids. People are still seeing her as a bratty teen she was not so long ago, when she hit Gemma but I'd give her the benefit of the doubt. She seems a lot quieter and more reflective.


Good grief, you hate her as much as I hate Dross

The actor who plays Kirin is actually older in real life than Isabel Hodgins (Vic) and Joe Gill (Finn) and only a couple of years younger than Danny Miller (Aaron) whilst he is is 4 years older than Eden Tayler Draper (Belle)

Belle is "narratively" seen as a younger age group than Vic, Finn, Aaron & Adam and has never interacted with them socially as a character.

For me Kirin looks like he is more of an age with above said character group rather than "supposedly" being of the same character group of Belle (& previously Sean & Gemma)
For me - it looks more believeable & natural for him to be interacting with socially with Vic, Finn, Aaron etc.



Anyway - I doubt it will matter - I suspect this Kirin / Belle stuff is little more than background filler to give the characters screentime till they wheel out the baby father reveal twist.

How old are Sarah Sugden, Gabby Thomas and Jacob (I don't know his surname) ? ; they must be coming up to their teens.

Sarah is 10, Gabby 13 and not sure about Jacob

Kirin will go ape when he knows about the baby .

Well if we are forced to accept that Sarah and Bethany are mother and daughter in Coronation Street, then I'm sure Kirin and Belle in Emmerdale would be quite easy to accept.

The age gap between Sarah and Bethany is the same as the age gap between the two actresses. Sarah had Bethany when she was 13 so it's perfectly believable.

Exactly. I think people forget there is not much of an age gap between Bethany and Sarah, considering Sarah was a young Mum when she had Bethany.

I think you misunderstood its Vanessa/Kirin that makes me feel ill not Belle/Kirin. Belle and Kirin is far more acceptable than the rather disturbing alternative with the old maid Vanessa.

She's in her 30s - hardly an old maid.

She enjoys milking though.

Thankyou, djfunnyman. Given good writers, Gabby could e quite a character as a teenager. I think Vanessa is 40 in real life.

In the context of her age gap relationship she is.

Not when Tina O'brien looks so young. People can be the ages they are and look 10 years younger. But in a soap it kind of doesn't work. Not for me anyway.

I suppose it doesn't help that the actress playing Bethany looks older than her supposed age because she is older in real life.

People don't forget. And I would say there was quite an age gap of around 14 years

Could possibly the reason why people see Belle as much younger than Kirin is also because we've literally seen Belle grow up on the show?

So, when that happens, it takes a while longer for people to start seeing 'young' characters as more grown up people?

Unless they 'do a Tracey' and lock them upstairs for 5 years listening to her tapes and then recast them.

Belle is mature for her age. But so is Kirin and seeing as we're used to him with the older Vanessa him and Belle would be weird