Laurel and Ashley in Emmerdale: Soulmates to a tragic end

Laurel Potts married Ashley Thomas in Classic Emmerdale on Tuesday August 6. As she goes through a messy divorce from Jai Sharma in current Emmerdale episodes, it got us thinking about her one true love – was it Ashley?

They married twice, got through some dreadful things and were together until his end. If that’s not soulmates, then what is?

Here’s their history together as we remember the good times, the bad and the very ugly for Laurel and Ashley Thomas.

Laurel packs her bags and gets angry as she leaves pleading Ashley in Emmerdale — It was a rocky start for Laurel and Ashley (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Unrequited love

Laurel fell for Ashley quite soon after her 2002 arrival in the Dales. But he didn’t feel the same and firmly friend-zoned her.

He was dating Louise Appleton at the time, but it was clear they weren’t really in love with each other. They were involved in a car crash during a storm in 2004 and nearly died. It made them reassess things and they realised they weren’t right for each other, so parted ways as friends.

Laurel then nursed Ashley back to health following the accident and he started to develop feelings for her. They grew close and eventually started dating.

However Laurel decided to leave to do volunteer work in Tanzania. Ashley tried to stop her by proposing, but she still went.

Ashley and Laurel show off their wedding rings and grin delightedly — Happiness came to them at last (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Laurel and Ashley Thomas in Emmerdale: engaged and married

When Laurel returned, she agreed to marry Ashley, but the bishop refused them permission. He felt Ashley’s sordid love life was affecting his position in the church. So Ashley made a grand gesture and decided to quit.

But he soon realised he couldn’t live without his job and his faith. Laurel gave her blessing for him to return to the church and promised she would wait to marry him.

In the meantime she began confiding in curate Ethan Blake. He fell in love with her, but she rejected his advances. However, Ethan lied to the bishop that he and Laurel had kissed.

When the truth came out, Ethan left the village in shame and the bishop agreed to marry Laurel and Ashley.

As plans for the wedding run away and get bigger and bigger, Laurel just wanted a quiet, small wedding. And so it was, when Ashley read their bans out in church they decided to get married the same day!

Betty gave Laurel her own wedding dress, the bishop carried out the ceremony and the couple were pronounced husband and wife.

Heartbroken Laurel is comforted by her mum as she hugs her baby who has died in Emmerdale — These scenes were heartbreaking (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Tragedy for Laurel and Ashley

In 2007, Laurel gave birth to their first child together, Daniel. In the hospital she met Melanie Doland, who had also given birth to a baby boy.

Devastation hit when Laurel discovered Daniel dead in his cot a few months later. She moved out as she was unable to be around Ashley and even kissed Melanie’s husband, Greg.

However, before too long Laurel’s mum, Hilary Potts suspected Melanie and Greg’s son was actually Laurel and Ashley’s. She refused to let it go, despite Laurel’s pleas for her to stop betraying Daniel’s memory. A DNA test eventually proved Hilary right and there had been a baby swap at the hospital.

Laurel still wanted nothing to do with her son, despite Ashley starting a custody battle. He told his wife he would raise the boy alone if she didn’t attend the custody hearing. She went and they won, but Laurel found it hard to bond with Arthur. When she feared he had died, however, she soon realised how much she loved and accepted him.

Sally Spode looks murderous — Sally had Ashley fooled, but not Laurel (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Sally Spode causes trouble

Old flame Sally Spode almost came between Laurel and Ashley – and almost killed Laurel! Claiming to need support from the vicar, Sally ended up moving in with Laurel and Ashley and tried to take over Laurel’s role as wife and mother.

Soon, wanting Ashley for herself, unhinged Sally locked Laurel in the church while it was on fire. Laurel survived and so Sally tried to suffocate her instead. Although Laurel told Ashley her suspicions over Sally’s involvement, he didn’t believe her, so she left him.

However, when Sally made advances on him, Ashley realised his wife had been telling the truth and tried to win her back. Laurel then tracked Sally down to a block of flats where she found a shrine to Ashley. Laurel attacked Sally, but soon came to her senses and Sally was arrested.

Ashley looms over terrified Sandy as Laurel watches on horrified in Emmerdale — Ashley’s marital stress caused him to lash out (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Divorce for Laurel and Ashley

Things were tough for Laurel and Ashley and with Ashley’s dad, Sandy, living with them, she began to spend more time out of the house – and with a certain Marlon Dingle. It was clear they had a connection and it was just a matter of time before they couldn’t fight it any longer.

Ashley was desperately trying to make his marriage work and started taking his anger out on Sandy. Ashley became abusive to his dad and when Laurel caught him, she demanded a divorce.

In a weird twist of fate, Ashley was arrested and made homeless as Laurel stayed at the vicarage with the kids and Sandy. So Marlon asked him to move in with him – despite he and Laurel now being in a relationship!

Laurel and Ashley eventually found their way back to being friends.

Ashley and Laurel smile at their second wedding — Romantic scenes for Ashley and Laurel’s second wedding (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Laurel and Ashley in Emmerdale reunited

Things between Marlon and Laurel did not work out. She became an alcoholic after Ross Barton car-jacked her and their marriage crumbled. It was only thinking that Ashley was dead after she saw him getting hit by a car that stunned Laurel into getting clean. So it was obvious her feelings for him had resurfaced.

Despite him being with Harriet, Laurel knew she wanted them to get back together. However what she didn’t know was that Ashley had been diagnosed with early on-set vascular dementia.

When Harriet and Ashley broke up, Laurel made her move. But Ashley rejected her and confessed his illness. He told her he loved her, but couldn’t be with her due to the future looking so bleak.

But despite his adamance that he wouldn’t allow Laurel to be his carer, she protested she loved him and wanted to be with him. He soon realised he couldn’t do it alone and Laurel was who he wanted to be with in his final days.

Laurel soon fell pregnant and decided to have a termination. She felt she couldn’t cope with her alcoholism and Ashley’s illness as well as a new baby. However she couldn’t go through with it and the couple welcomed baby Dotty in 2016. They also remarried.

Laurel cries as she climbs into bed and hugs Ashley who has died in Emmerdale — Their union ended in tragedy (Credit: ITV)

Ashley dies

After the Hotton Bypass crash in 2016 and then Christmas, Ashley’s condition was rapidly deteriorating. The only option was to put him into a care home as he no longer recognised his family.

By March 2017, Ashley began coughing up blood and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Laurel was given the devastating news he only had days to live. She brought him home to die.

In early April, Ashley regained consciousness momentarily and recognised Laurel. She then went upstairs to get another pillow for him and he died peacefully. Laurel tearfully hugged his body as Sandy, Bernice, Gabby and Arthur all joined her.

She and Ashley shared a final moment when she fell asleep after his funeral. She woke up to find him talking to her on the television. They recalled their happy moments together and he said a final goodbye to the love of his life.