Bernice Thomas
Encyclopedia
Bernice Marie Thomas is a fictional character
in the British ITV
soap opera
Emmerdale
. She was played by Samantha Giles
.
in 1998 and immediately found work as a barmaid at the local pub the Woolpack. She found a rival in fellow barmaid Tricia Stokes, but they became close friends once they discovered that their boyfriends, Gavin Ferris and Jason Kirk, were gay and having an affair. Bernice called off her engagement to Gavin and became the landlady of the Woolpack.
Bernice soon began dating local vicar Ashley Thomas
and after an on-off relationship, the couple married after the Bishop
gave them his blessing. They married on 25 December 2000 with Tricia as her bridesmaid and her mother Diane Blackstock giving her away, despite her estranged father Rodney Blackstock
being in attendance at the wedding.
Bernice soon became pregnant but unfortunately miscarried. Angry and grieving for her baby, she lashed out at Ashley. Not knowing how to comfort his wife, Ashley accepted a temporary job away from the village. Feeling abandoned by Ashley, Bernice began an affair with chef Carlos Diaz
in February 2001, and soon discovered that she was pregnant again. Unfortunately she wasn't sure who the father was.
On several occasions, she tried ending the affair, but she and Carlos always got back together. The only person who knew of their secret trysts were her supportive mum, Diane. During one of their splits, Carlos began dating her younger half-sister Nicola Blackstock
, who had just come into Bernice's life. In September 2001 Bernice was faced with a dilemma when Nicola announced that she was pregnant with Carlos's baby and they were going to get married.
However, on her hen night, Nicola confessed to Bernice that she wasn't pregnant and had said that to trap Carlos in the hope that he'd eventually settle down with her. Feeling that he had the right to know the truth, a heavily pregnant Bernice managed to get them together just before the ceremony on 4 October 2001 and forced Nicola to admit the truth. Carlos was angry at Nicola's deception and in his rage, he told her that he was having an affair with Bernice and may have fathered her unborn child. After a small catfight with Bernice, who had tried to calm her down, Nicola stormed off into the church and announced to the congregation that the wedding was off, as Carlos and Bernice were having an affair. Ashley, who was presiding over the ceremony, was devastated and told Bernice that he didn't want to know when she tried to explain herself. He told her to pack her things and never come back. As she fled in tears, Ashley broke down in the church.
Now living with her father, Rodney, in seclusion as she had become an outcast in the village, Bernice went into labour whilst trying to reconcile with Ashley. He had thrown her out of his home when she tried to make him understand her infidelity, she collapsed by the gate and her waters broke. He called an ambulance and got news to Diane, who accompanied her daughter to the hospital. With Diane by her side and a helpless Ashley watching through the window at the delivery room, Bernice gave birth to her daughter Gabrielle Thomas on 25 December 2001. After confiding in her mum that she hoped that Carlos was the father as she would probably have a better life with him, she was secretly disappointed when he came to the hospital and told her that his results of the paternity test were negative, meaning that Ashley was the father. After a long discussion together, Ashley and Bernice reconciled in January 2002.
However, Bernice began to have doubts about her marriage again and it was clear to everyone that she wasn't responding well to motherhood. After Gabrielle's christening, Bernice decided that she no longer loved Ashley and told him so one afternoon when he suggested that they try for another baby.
After separating again, this time permanently, Bernice accepted a job in Brighton
and said her goodbyes to her family and friends. She decided that it would be better off for Gabrielle to stay with Ashley as he would be a better parent than her, due to the fact that she felt no maternal instincts towards the child. It was then that she was tearfully driven by her father in his RangeRover from the village to her new life on a cruise ship at Southampton.
She returned in January 2004 for the funeral of her best friend Tricia, having declined her offer the year before to be her bridesmaid at her wedding to Marlon Dingle
. Staying with Ashley, she expressed her heartbreak at having missed Gabby grow up and begged Ashley to allow her to make up for it by taking her to Brighton
to live with her. Ashley refused, saying that it would confuse their daughter, and after realising that Ashley no longer loved her, Bernice decided that they should put their marriage to an end and filed for divorce before leaving the village again.
with her grandmother Diane in order to see her new baby sister.
At the start of 2008 after baby Daniel's death, Bernice rang Ashley, telling him how sorry she was and offering to have Gabby to stay with her for a while. Ashley and Laurel refused.
In 2009, Bernice telephoned Diane informing her that she had seen Daz Eden
not far from Brighton.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the British ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
. She was played by Samantha Giles
Samantha Giles
Samantha Giles is a British actress, probably best known for playing Bernice Thomas in Emmerdale , a role which earned her a TV Quick Award for Best Actress and a nomination for a National Television Awards for Most Popular Actress , and Sally Boothe in Where the Heart Is .Giles's other TV...
.
Storylines
Bernice arrived in EmmerdaleEmmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
in 1998 and immediately found work as a barmaid at the local pub the Woolpack. She found a rival in fellow barmaid Tricia Stokes, but they became close friends once they discovered that their boyfriends, Gavin Ferris and Jason Kirk, were gay and having an affair. Bernice called off her engagement to Gavin and became the landlady of the Woolpack.
Bernice soon began dating local vicar Ashley Thomas
Ashley Thomas
Ashley Michael Thomas is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by John Middleton.-1996–99:Ashley soon began developing feelings for the landlady of the Woolpack pub, Bernice Blackstock. He tried putting them aside as Bernice was engaged to Gavin, despite suspecting that...
and after an on-off relationship, the couple married after the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
gave them his blessing. They married on 25 December 2000 with Tricia as her bridesmaid and her mother Diane Blackstock giving her away, despite her estranged father Rodney Blackstock
Rodney Blackstock
Rodney Blackstock is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Patrick Mower.-2000–:When Rodney Blackstock turned up in Emmerdale, no one was more surprised to see him than his ex-wife Diane...
being in attendance at the wedding.
Bernice soon became pregnant but unfortunately miscarried. Angry and grieving for her baby, she lashed out at Ashley. Not knowing how to comfort his wife, Ashley accepted a temporary job away from the village. Feeling abandoned by Ashley, Bernice began an affair with chef Carlos Diaz
Carlos Diaz (Emmerdale)
Carlos Diaz was a fictional character in ITV's Emmerdale from 2000-2001. He was played by Gary Turner.-Character's background:Carlos had an on-off-on affair with Bernice Thomas while he was engaged to Bernice's half sister Nicola Blackstock. Bernice was married to vicar Ashley Thomas during her...
in February 2001, and soon discovered that she was pregnant again. Unfortunately she wasn't sure who the father was.
On several occasions, she tried ending the affair, but she and Carlos always got back together. The only person who knew of their secret trysts were her supportive mum, Diane. During one of their splits, Carlos began dating her younger half-sister Nicola Blackstock
Nicola Blackstock
Nicola King is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She has been played by Nicola Wheeler since she joined the soap in 2001.-Casting:...
, who had just come into Bernice's life. In September 2001 Bernice was faced with a dilemma when Nicola announced that she was pregnant with Carlos's baby and they were going to get married.
However, on her hen night, Nicola confessed to Bernice that she wasn't pregnant and had said that to trap Carlos in the hope that he'd eventually settle down with her. Feeling that he had the right to know the truth, a heavily pregnant Bernice managed to get them together just before the ceremony on 4 October 2001 and forced Nicola to admit the truth. Carlos was angry at Nicola's deception and in his rage, he told her that he was having an affair with Bernice and may have fathered her unborn child. After a small catfight with Bernice, who had tried to calm her down, Nicola stormed off into the church and announced to the congregation that the wedding was off, as Carlos and Bernice were having an affair. Ashley, who was presiding over the ceremony, was devastated and told Bernice that he didn't want to know when she tried to explain herself. He told her to pack her things and never come back. As she fled in tears, Ashley broke down in the church.
Now living with her father, Rodney, in seclusion as she had become an outcast in the village, Bernice went into labour whilst trying to reconcile with Ashley. He had thrown her out of his home when she tried to make him understand her infidelity, she collapsed by the gate and her waters broke. He called an ambulance and got news to Diane, who accompanied her daughter to the hospital. With Diane by her side and a helpless Ashley watching through the window at the delivery room, Bernice gave birth to her daughter Gabrielle Thomas on 25 December 2001. After confiding in her mum that she hoped that Carlos was the father as she would probably have a better life with him, she was secretly disappointed when he came to the hospital and told her that his results of the paternity test were negative, meaning that Ashley was the father. After a long discussion together, Ashley and Bernice reconciled in January 2002.
However, Bernice began to have doubts about her marriage again and it was clear to everyone that she wasn't responding well to motherhood. After Gabrielle's christening, Bernice decided that she no longer loved Ashley and told him so one afternoon when he suggested that they try for another baby.
After separating again, this time permanently, Bernice accepted a job in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and said her goodbyes to her family and friends. She decided that it would be better off for Gabrielle to stay with Ashley as he would be a better parent than her, due to the fact that she felt no maternal instincts towards the child. It was then that she was tearfully driven by her father in his RangeRover from the village to her new life on a cruise ship at Southampton.
She returned in January 2004 for the funeral of her best friend Tricia, having declined her offer the year before to be her bridesmaid at her wedding to Marlon Dingle
Marlon Dingle
Marlon Sebastian Dingle is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Mark Charnock. -1996–:...
. Staying with Ashley, she expressed her heartbreak at having missed Gabby grow up and begged Ashley to allow her to make up for it by taking her to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
to live with her. Ashley refused, saying that it would confuse their daughter, and after realising that Ashley no longer loved her, Bernice decided that they should put their marriage to an end and filed for divorce before leaving the village again.
Post Departure
It was later announced that Bernice had found love again and that they were engaged to marry. It was also announced that she had fallen pregnant by her fiance and after phoning Ashley one day, she told him that she had given birth to another daughter, which she had named Diane after her mother. Ashley then sent their daughter Gabby to BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
with her grandmother Diane in order to see her new baby sister.
At the start of 2008 after baby Daniel's death, Bernice rang Ashley, telling him how sorry she was and offering to have Gabby to stay with her for a while. Ashley and Laurel refused.
In 2009, Bernice telephoned Diane informing her that she had seen Daz Eden
Daz Eden
Darren "Daz" Eden is a fictional character in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, portrayed by Luke Tittensor until April 2009. He made his first appearance in the show on 9 October 2003....
not far from Brighton.