WATCH: Emmerdale viewers were heartbroken after watching Ashley Thomas’ final scenes

Farewell Ashley.

Friday night's Emmerdale was an emotional one for Ashley Thomas' last scenes were aired on the soap. As fans will know, Ashley, who played the village's vicar for 21 years, and over the last 18 months he had been fighting vascular dementia. Friday's show was made even more emotional by the fact that Ashley, played by John Middleton, recognised his wife Lauren for the first time in months, voicing her name just moments before he died. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFLsDvu_-Zg Naturally enough, these scenes left viewers in floods of tears and they took to Twitter to commend the performances from the actors involved. https://twitter.com/SingingDri/status/850433004845617152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.her.ie%2Fentertainment%2Femmerdale-viewers-heartbroken-watching-ashley-thomas-final-scenes-341588 https://twitter.com/geordiegalg/status/850431509433647106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.her.ie%2Fentertainment%2Femmerdale-viewers-heartbroken-watching-ashley-thomas-final-scenes-341588 https://twitter.com/_karenmoores_/status/850431324150259712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.her.ie%2Fentertainment%2Femmerdale-viewers-heartbroken-watching-ashley-thomas-final-scenes-341588 https://twitter.com/Jamelia1978/status/850430417123540993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.her.ie%2Fentertainment%2Femmerdale-viewers-heartbroken-watching-ashley-thomas-final-scenes-341588 https://twitter.com/SheenaChristop1/status/850430156229496833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.her.ie%2Fentertainment%2Femmerdale-viewers-heartbroken-watching-ashley-thomas-final-scenes-341588 https://twitter.com/prescott884/status/850428916602986496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.her.ie%2Fentertainment%2Femmerdale-viewers-heartbroken-watching-ashley-thomas-final-scenes-341588