▁Ash ley ▁Abb ott ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 1 th , ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁until ▁her ▁first ▁exit ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁The ▁role ▁was ▁immediately ▁rec ast ▁with ▁Br enda ▁E pp erson , ▁who ▁port rayed ▁Ash ley ▁for ▁seven ▁years ▁from ▁December ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁before ▁leaving ▁the ▁role ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁Sh ari ▁Sh att uck ▁then ▁assumed ▁the ▁role ▁from ▁March ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁February ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁with ▁David son ▁returning ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁David son ▁took ▁mat ern ity ▁leave ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁news ▁broke ▁that ▁David son ▁was ▁to ▁exit ▁the ▁soap ▁opera , ▁and ▁she ▁last ▁a ired ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁She ▁then ▁carried ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Ash ley ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁show ' s ▁sister ▁soap , ▁The ▁B old ▁and ▁the ▁Beautiful . ▁She ▁last ▁a ired ▁on ▁The ▁B old ▁and ▁the ▁Beautiful ▁on ▁July ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁The ▁Young ▁and ▁the ▁Rest less ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0