Laurel Sharma (also Thomas and Potts and Dingle) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Charlotte Bellamy. She debuted on screen during the episode airing on 3 September 2002. Laurel has been off-screen at various times while Bellamy has taken maternity leave. Laurel is shown to have a thoughtful and caring attitude towards other characters, however, this changed dramatically in 2015 when she developed an addiction to alcohol which often caused her to become violent and aggressive.
Her storylines have included her first and second marriages to Ashley Thomas (John Middleton), the highly publicised cot death storyline in which Laurel and Ashley's adoptive baby son dies but it transpires that their biological baby is still alive as he was accidentally swapped with another baby at the hospital, mentally unstable Sally Spode (Siân Reeves) trying to murder Laurel on numerous occasions, discovering Ashley's abuse of his elderly widower father Sandy (Freddie Jones), her relationship and marriage to Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), being carjacked by Ross Barton (Michael Parr) and becoming obsessed with getting her revenge on him, sliding into alcoholism when she begins to struggle with life, a reunion with Ashley, coping with Ashley's vascular dementia, going into premature labour which resulted in the birth of her and Ashley's daughter, Dotty, coming to terms with Ashley's death, her friendship with fellow widow Emma Barton (Gillian Kearney), which later turns bitter when she becomes obsessed with proving that Emma murdered her husband, James (Bill Ward); an affair with Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw), and deciding to terminate a pregnancy after discovering that the baby has Down syndrome.
Storylines
Laurel arrives at Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Tricia Stokes's (Sheree Murphy) engagement party, dressed as a bumblebee. but she collapses halfway through her act and is rushed to hospital. Laurel moves in with pensioners Betty Eagleton (Paula Tilbrook) and Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards). Laurel later develops feelings for Ashley Thomas (John Middleton). Though Ashley likes Laurel, he does not feel the same about her. Laurel starts a career in cleaning and manages to secure many village residents on her books. She becomes best friends with Nicola Blackstock (Nicola Wheeler), the aunt of Ashley's daughter Gabby Thomas. Nicola also becomes her business partner. Ashley and Louise Appleton (Emily Symons) are involved in a car accident following a storm. Laurel decides to look after Ashley while he recovers. The pair become close and Ashley develops feelings for her and they start dating. Laurel decides to carry out volunteer work in Tanzania. Ashley fails to stop her with a proposal of marriage. When Laurel returns, she agrees to marry Ashley. They face problems when Bishop George Postlethwaite (Peter Cartwright), refuses them permission to marry. He makes it clear Ashley's love life has put his position in question. Ashley quits his job but realizes he cannot cope without the church. Laurel tells Ashley that she will wait to marry him. Curate Ethan becomes Laurel's confidant but falls in love with her. He makes advances on Laurel but she does not reciprocate and lets him down gently but Ethan tells George that they had kissed. When George discovers Ethan lied, he gives Laurel and Ashley his blessing and carries out their wedding ceremony.
Laurel helps Ashley reconnect with his widower elderly father Sandy Thomas (Freddie Jones). When Nicola leaves the village, she struggles with the workload and her new parish duties. She sells her business to David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) but clashes with Ashley's niece, Jasmine Thomas (Jenna-Louise Coleman). They eventually bond after a difficult start. However, Laurel is upset when Jasmine's friends, Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb) and Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor), accidentally set fire to the vicarage, seeing her lose everything.
