Charlotte Bellamy, who plays Laurel,
revealed: "Laurel knows that Ashley was always there for her, especially
when life got really tough with the alcohol. She's also dealing with
the feeling of being on her own when Marlon is now dating again. She
wonders where her life is going and finds herself looking back at
Ashley. Laurel knows that Ashley loves
Harriet, so it's a lose-lose situation. She doesn't want to ruin things
for them, because that's not who she is. Laurel is quite defensive when
Sandy challenges her over it, because he's got it bang on! It's obvious
from the way Laurel talks about Ashley that she's back in love with
him."
Both ladies in Ashley's life are currently unaware of the fact that he's recently been diagnosed with dementia.
As Laurel struggles with her feelings, she's
shocked when Harriet confides in her by revealing that she's going to
propose to Ashley.
Bellamy continued:
"Laurel feels totally gutted about Harriet's plans, but she kind of sets
up the situation herself almost to help her own feelings. She decides
that if she convinces Harriet they're a great match, that will help
Laurel to move on herself. If Laurel found
out about Ashley's diagnosis, I think her reaction would be disbelief.
She wouldn't be able to comprehend what he's saying. I hope Laurel will
be closely involved in the storyline because they've been through so
much. To see his last months out feels like the right story."
Revealing her own reaction to the story,
Bellamy admitted: "I was quite shocked really, because I'm losing a
colleague. But John's really positive about it and he's happy. At the
end of the day, we are actors, it's a great story for him and it will
be a great way out. I also love getting my
teeth into stories that have a real depth and will have an effect on
people. Everyone knows someone who will have suffered from some form of
dementia. It's so rife and I'm hoping this story will show how people do
cope, because I think a lot of it is kept behind closed doors. We've
been to care homes that specialise in different forms of dementia and
we've been in touch with charities, so we've done a lot of research.
It's great to be armed with as much information as you can, so you can
give a truthful portrayal. It will be emotional, but of course we'll
have to find some light moments in it as well."
Airs Next Month