Rev Ashley Thomas

Village Vicar Ashley Thomas (John Middleton) sometimes finds his parishioners' antics are enough to try the patience of a saint!

Marriages Bernice Blackstock (divorced), Laurel Potts

Children Gabrielle, Arthur/Daniel

1996 Takes over as Emmerdale's Vicar. Confronts the Dingles over a carol singing scam at Christmas.

1998 Is smitten with temporary bar manager Bernice, but she's unimpressed that he's a Vicar.

1999 Continues to hold a candle for Bernice when she returns to the village with her fiancé, Gavin. Bernice splits from Gavin and Ashley's hopes are raised.

2000 Tells Bernice that he's in love with her. The couple wed on Christmas Day.

2001 Bernice becomes pregnant but miscarries the baby, putting strain on the marriage. Bernice starts an affair with local chef Carlos and falls pregnant, but is unsure of the paternity of the baby.

2002 Bernice has baby Gabby, who turns out to be Ashley's daughter. They nearly reunite but Bernice leaves the village to start a new life.

2003 Starts a relationship with another barmaid, flirty Australian Louise. Doesn't realise that cleaner Laurel Potts has secretly fallen for him.

2004 Splits up with Louise. Laurel admits her love for him, but he rebuffs her. Laurel plans to leave for a new life abroad, but Ashley realises he's in love with her and she stays in the village.

2005 Briefly leaves the church when the Bishop disapproves of his relationship with Laurel. Squares things with the Bishop and weds Laurel. Appalled when his dad Sandy turns up on his wedding day. They fell out because Sandy helped his wife - Ashley's mother - die when she was terminally ill.

2006 Makes peace with his dad. Laurel falls pregnant.

2007 Baby Daniel is born.

2008 Daniel's found dead in his cot. It's revealed that Daniel was not Ashley and Laurel's biological son. He was accidentally swapped at birth with Arthur, the son of Greg and Mel Doland. Ashley fights and wins custody of Arthur but Laurel struggles to accept him. The church faces closure.

2009 Church is saved by new Home Farm residents Mark and Natasha Wylde. Former love Sally reappears and threatens his marriage.

Played by John Middleton

John was born John Cooper on 7 September 1953 in Newcastle and is the eldest of six children. His mother and father were both involved with amateur dramatics, meeting at a theatre school in Bradford. The family moved to Warrington when John was 14... Read More