T.J. is born on 19th October 2003, and when he is a few days old his father Terry has a stroke. With Dawn having to care for both Terry and T.J., their marriage comes under strain and they split up. In July 2006, after learning of Terry's relationship with her mother Jean, Dawn decides to leave the village and move to Cornwall with T.J. Jean talks Terry out of launching a custody battle. However, before they can leave Emmerdale, Dawn is killed in the Kings River House explosion on 13th July 2006.
Jean accepts compensation for Dawn's death from the King family and decides to move to Morocco, and without Terry knowing decides to take T.J. with her. However, Dawn's brother Jamie Hope tells Terry and he rushes to the airport, but is too late to stop them departing. Terry then travels to Morocco and returns in January 2007 with T.J. T.J. is still confused as to where his mother has gone and Terry has to explain, and they release a balloon in her memory. In April 2008 , T.J. contracts e.coli and is taken to hospital to recover. Later in 2008, T.J. becomes a more sarcastic child and is unhappy with his father's relationship with Brenda Walker, but later accepts her. On 13th January 2011, T.J. is orphaned when Terry is killed in an arson attack. On 21st January, T.J. goes to live with Jean in Morocco although he does not want to go as he thinks it is too hot in Morocco and that Moroccans wear "funny hats".