Ashley suffers a devastating dementia decline

Laurel Thomas, Ashley Thomes, Dotty Thomas
(Image credit: Andrew Boyce)

The fourth episode during a special week in Emmerdale is played out from Ashley's viewpoint, ending in a terrible event…

*First episode*

As the special week of Emmerdale starts to draw to its deadly close, it’s time to look at the mysterious death from Ashley’s standpoint.

Once again, the action starts in the graveyard, where latecomer arrives at a funeral, stepping on an order of service, and Ashley comes to, lying bloodied on his side…

The action then rolls back to earlier that day at Mulberry Cottage where, in reality, Ashley comes to. He’s with his family and they’re listening to his interview about mental health on the radio. The vicar, who has vascular dementia is clearly feeling confused about what is going on.

Problem is, it’s Dotty’s christening day and Laurel thinks they should postpone given Ashley’s poor health but Ashley insists on the ceremony going ahead. In church, however, the event proves too much for the vicar who completely loses track of what’s going on. As he admits to the congregation he’s forgotten who the parents of the baby are, Ashley crumbles in agony when he’s made aware it’s his daughter’s… As the celebration breaks down and the Thomas family heads home, Ashley soon forgets the event has even happened. And when he spots his written reminder about Dotty’s christening, he races off in his car, worried he’s going to be late!

In the meantime, as Aaron and Robert drive arguing, in the boot Lachlan frees himself from his ties. At the campsite, Paddy watches as Rhona and Pierce have a blazing row. In the forest as he stumbles away from Wylie’s Farm, James is making his bid for freedom from Emma’s clutches when she catches up with him…

An ugly row between the Barton couple plays out on a bridge above a busy road. As things get heated, Emma, who’s still in her wedding dress, shoves James who falls on to the oncoming traffic below! His body crashes on to the windscreen of Ashley’s car causing a huge multi-car pile up which sees Rhona, Paddy and Pierce’s cars plough into the smash while Aaron and Robert’s swerves and ploughs into a lake…

 

Sarah Waterfall
Soaps Editor at What's On TV

Sarah has been writing about soaps for over 20 years! She’s worked for Hello!, WOMAN, PA News, Closer, TVeasy – and is currently What’s On TV's Soap editor as well as writing for WhatToWatch.com 


She’s interviewed tons of famous people from movie stars to pop stars, TV stars and of course, soap stars. The soaps have always been at the heart of Sarah's work; visiting the sets, getting the goss, and writing about all the soapy shenanigans week in week out, earning her a place on the judging panel for The British Soap Awards in 2017 and 2018 and on the BAFTA TV Awards in 2022 … and the nickname Soapbird!