Family crisis: Laurel has a difficult conversation with Gabby and Arthur (VIDEO)

Gabby Thomas, Arthur Thomas, Laurel Thomas

Laurel talks to Gabby and Arthur about their father Ashley, who has dementia and is living in care, and his new close friendship with another woman

At Mulberry Cottage, a terribly hard conversation takes place. With Ashley no longer living with his family, as a result of his worsening dementia, Laurel and the kids are reeling and missing him like mad. Though Ashley is still alive and physically well, his mental state has deteriorated to the point where he no longer recognises Laurel – nor remembers he’s married. And worse still, he thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to be striking up a close friendship with fellow care home resident, Maggie. With Gabby and Arthur now privy to their dad’s bond with Maggie, Laurel has a serious chat with the kids about Ashley’s condition. Can she get the kids to understand their dad doesn’t mean to hurt them?

As Pierce and Vanessa’s bitter feud continues, the lawyer orchestrates it so the vet ‘accidentally’ sees the sex tape he and Rhona made. The vet’s aghast by the footage – but why did Pierce want Vanessa to watch it?

Lonely Jai talks to a journalist about Holly Barton’s struggle with drugs, knowing only too well how difficult addiction can be. Is he about to surrender his hard-earned sobriety?

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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!