Emmerdale rocked by holy inappropriate relationship

Vicar Ashley horrified by curate's friendship with 14-year-old.

10:38 13 April 2004

Emmerdale is set to be shaken by fresh scandal, with a sensational new storyline revolving around the "friendship" between Curate Ethan Blake and 14-year-old Debbie.

At the centre of the storm is vicar Ashley Thomas - no stranger to the pleasures of the flesh himself, following an affair with his cleaning lady earlier this year.

The vicar becomes alarmed about the "inappropriate" relationship developing between his assistant - played by Liam O'Brien - and Charity Tate's daughter.

A source from the show told the Daily Star newspaper, "Ashley may be reading too much into what is happening, but Debbie is at a difficult age and she's infatuated with Ethan. After all, he's given her a shoulder to cry on during very difficult times."

"Perhaps Ethan cannot see that Debbie is attracted to him, but Ashley certainly thinks she is".

The suspicions of Ashley - played by John Middleton - are aroused when a car wash develops into a water fight between the pair.

"He sees it as potentially a very serious situation which has got to be nipped in the bud", the source told the paper.

Emmerdale is certainly determined to sex up its stories - rock chick and film star Patsy Kensit is reported to have signed up to the show.

The Star describes her character, Sadie King, as "a scheming seductress who will stop at nothing to get her own way."