Tonight’s ‘Emmerdale’ is going to set the wheels in motion for Ashley Thomas’s death storyline, when the former vicar collapses.
Just days ago, bosses announced that the much-loved character’s dementia storyline will be coming to an end next week, and in Thursday (30 March) night’s show, Bob Hope will be the one to witness a health scare.
It all begins when Ashley falls to the floor while Bob is visiting him at his residential care home.
It soon becomes clear that the situation could have serious implications, when Bob sees that his friend is coughing up blood.
Ashley’s dementia diagnosis was revealed over 12 months ago, and more recently it has been apparent that the character would be killed off.
Speaking in February, the soap’s executive producer Iain MacLeod teased John Middleton’s character’s final scenes.
“It’s oddly joyous – it’s a celebration of the character,” he told The Huffington Post UK and other reporters. “We didn’t want to do a story where he just absconded from a care home and was discovered dead from hypothermia or something, it would be too bleak.
“It’s super warm and funny and almost festive and boisterous. It’s just beautiful and I couldn’t be more proud of the script, which is in very capable hands with our cast and crew.”
‘Emmerdale’ airs at 7pm on Thursday 30 March. Catch up on all the latest soap news and spoilers here.