how he feels. They begin dating and when they receive Bishop George Postlethwaite's (Peter Cartwright) blessing, they get married. Bernice discovers she is pregnant but miscarries. Ashley and Bernice's marriage suffers when he leaves the village briefly. Bernice has an affair with Carlos Diaz (Gary Turner) and discovers she is pregnant again. However, Bernice tells her sister, Nicola, that Carlos could be the father of her baby after Nicola admits that she is not pregnant on her hen night, despite having told Carlos that she is. Disgusted by Carlos and Bernice's lies, she tells everyone about their affair and dumps Carlos. Ashley also throws Bernice out and they only start to reconcile after the baby is born, a girl who she names Gabrielle (Annelise Manojlovic). A paternity test reveals Ashley is Gabby's father but Bernice sinks into post-natal depression and eventually admits to Ashley that she does not love him anymore and she leaves the village, as Bernice's divorce from Ashley is finalized off-screen in 2002. 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. Ashley realises Laurel Potts (Charlotte Bellamy) has fallen for him, but initially rebuffs her. When Ashley learns Laurel is leaving the village, he declares his feelings for her. They start a relationship and as Laurel prepares to leave for Tanzania, Ashley proposes. However, Bishop George disapproves and Ashley briefly leaves the church, while he and Laurel try to convince George of their love. Ashley's curate, Ethan Blake (Liam O'Brien), falls for Laurel and when she lets him down, he tells George that her and Ashley's relationship is rocky. He is later exposed and George gives the couple his blessing and marries them. Ashley is horrified to find his widower elderly father, Sandy (Freddie Jones), is in the village and reveals that they fell out because Sandy helped Ashley's & Luke's mother and his wife Dorothy to die. Ashley reconciles with his father and he moves in. Ashley's niece Jasmine (Jenna-Louise Coleman) also comes to stay. Laurel falls pregnant, delighting her and Ashley. While telling Shadrach Dingle (Andy Devine) off for drinking communion wine, Laurel realizes that she is in labour. Shadrach finds the church door is locked and rings the bells to get help. Laurel gets to hospital and has a baby boy that