Ashley Thomas is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by John Middleton.

[2] It was announced on 22 October 2015 that Middleton would be departing as Ashley at the end of his contract after the character was diagnosed with vascular dementia in the episode aired on that day.

Ashley's storylines have included his short-lived marriage to Bernice Blackstock (Samantha Giles) and the birth of their daughter Gabby, as well as his first and second marriages to Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) and the birth of their son Arthur, as part of a highly publicised cot death storyline in which Laurel and Ashley's adoptive baby son dies.

Other storylines have included abusing his elderly widower father Sandy (Freddie Jones), held hostage by Declan Macey (Jason Merrells), being accidentally run over by Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) which results in his epilepsy, and being diagnosed with dementia.

In November 2016, it was announced that Emmerdale would air a special episode featuring Ashley's point of view to "give people an insight into how ordinary, day-to-day experiences can become disorientating and distressing when refracted through the lens of dementia.

As Middleton told Claire Brand from Inside Soap, Ashley could not handle scenarios involving females and now "he has to spend time with this woman who he clearly adores".

While Inside Soap ran a poll which determined that readers wanted Bernice to leave Gavin Ferris (Robert Beck) in favour of Ashley.

[5] Giles told a writer from Inside Soap that her character is reluctant to leave the village because "for once in her life, she has got some stability and she doesn't want to change that."

Middleton told the Daily Record that the birth is typical "Laurel and Ashley – it's absolute chaos".

[6] Emmerdale aired a special flashback episode on 22 October 2015 which revealed Ashley's whereabouts four weeks earlier.

After the airing of the episode, it was announced Middleton had left his role after twenty years of playing Ashley.

[2] Middleton revealed that he had spoken with show boss, Kate Oates, earlier this year about his exit.

They begin dating and when they receive Bishop George Postlethwaite's (Peter Cartwright) blessing, they get married.

Ashley also throws Bernice out and they only start to reconcile after the baby is born, a girl who she names Gabrielle (Annelise Manojlovic).

Ashley dates Louise Appleton (Emily Symons) for a while and they enjoy each other's company but are not in love and, after crashing in a road accident, they part amicably.

While telling Shadrach Dingle (Andy Devine) off for drinking communion wine, Laurel realizes that she is in labour.

Arthur's parents Greg (Shaun Prendergast) and Melanie Doland (Caroline Strong) worry that they might lose their son and try to emigrate but Ashley and Shadrach stop them.

However, Mark (Maxwell Caulfield) and Natasha Wylde (Amanda Donohoe) announce they have purchased the church and return it to the community, with Ashley and Laurel paying rent.

Ashley is asked to captain a local cricket team against his rival, Reverend Vincent Spode (Antony Byrne).

A fire is started in the church and Laurel is trapped but is rescued by Ashley and Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell).

Edna Birch (Shirley Stelfox) and Bishop George believe Sally until she admits she lied before wrecking Ashley's house and leaves.

After a comment by Sandy questioning whether Laurel truly loves him, Ashley grabs his father aggressively and its clear cracks are starting to set into the vicar's mind.

To make sure that Laurel doesn't find out, Ashley forces Sandy to agree to move into a care home.

Guilty that his feelings for Laurel orchestrated the start of Ashley's downfall, Marlon finds him and asks him to move in with him.

Ashley is critically injured after being run over by Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) who was intentionally aiming for Adam.

During a church service on Easter Sunday, Ashley suffers a crisis of faith and decides to retire from his duties as vicar.

Among the next few months Ashley's dementia worsens and in October 2016 he is one of many residents injured in a large car pile up after he drives away from the village when he forgets Dotty's christening.

Laurel later takes the hard decision to put Ashley into a home and is heartbroken when she finds out he has forgotten who she is and found another woman who also had dementia.

Sandy, Arthur, Bernice and Gabby discover Laurel hugging his body and are devastated when they realise that he has died.

A writer from Holy Soap named Ashley's most memorable moment as being the "dramatic race to the airport" to prevent Laurel from leaving.