Profile From the old official site at www.emmerdale.co.uk that closed down in 2002

Played by Samantha Giles
First Appearance on 25th November 1988
Marital Status; Was engaged to Gavin Ferris who had a somewhat murky past. Married and currently separated from Ashley Thomas-Vicar

1998
She built up a good relationship with both Turner and Betty.  At this point she was desperate for a man, and chatted up almost every eligible male and some of the ineligible ones!

1999
She returned to take over as bar manager of the Woolpack.  This time it was a new Bernice, with direction and determination. When Alan had a heart attack he decided to sell the pub, and Bernice felt she and Gavin were the ideal couple to buy it.
Stella mysteriously left her £75,000 for the deposit, so it came as a real shock when her dreams came true. Gavin popped the question, and Bernice was delighted. They began planning for their wedding.  But just before Christmas  Bernice and Tricia caught Gavin snogging Paddy’s gay cousin Jason in Bernice’s bedroom.  Gavin tried to explain his bisexuality, Bernice asked him to leave.

2000
Ashley fell for her, but Diane warned him off.  He settled for being her best friend – .  They threw her engagement ring into the beck together.
Ashley tells Bernice of his true feelings. First she is annoyed but then changes her mind and visits him at the vicarage, they kiss. The next day Betty sees Bernice at the vicarage wearing one of Ashley’s shirts. Now a couple, they receive some objections from people in the village who don’t believe it is correct for a vicar to be with a pub landlady.

Bernice asks Ashley to marry her. He accepts and they throw a party. Ashley surprises Bernice by tracking down her father. Neither Bernice or Diane wants anything to do with him. Bernice doesn’t want to know her father Rodney, but he wins her over, Bernice and Ashley fall out over Rodney. Bernice is attracted to Carlos, but they remain just friends. Rodney and Bernice become closer, he tells her of her half sister Nicola. Bernice decides to write to her. Nicola comes to Emmerdale to meet her sister. Despite some hiccups along the way Bernice and Ashley get married on Christmas day.

2001
They start trying for a baby. Bernice is desperate to get pregnant and puts Ashley on a diet of rabbit food and exercise. All this comes to fruition when Bernice falls pregnant. Sadly she has a miscarriage. Bernice is inconsolable and goes into a state of depression. She doesn’t want to talk to Ashley about it, they become estranged. Bernice cannot come to terms with the miscarriage. Carlos consoles her, they become close. Bernice starts an affair with Carlos who happens to be her sister Nicola’s boyfriend.

Ashley is delighted that his wife seems much happier. The affair is off and on then off again, still Ashley is oblivious. Later in the year Bernice discovers that she is again pregnant. But whose baby is it? She decides to end the affair with Carlos once and for all and tells Ashley they are having a baby. But they affair gets out leaving Ashley devastated and her life in tatters.