Ashley trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating with a First Class BA(Hons) degree as well as receiving the Principal's Award for Musical Theatre and the Singing Award. Whilst training, Ashley was the recipient of the Michael Gaunt Bursary and represented GSA in the BBC Carleton Hobbs radio awards.

His numerous credits include two years as Lefou in the UK National tour of Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast'; Seymour in 'Little Shop of Horrors' (Jersey Opera House & de Montfort Hall, Leicester); Alex Bryan in the "forgotten British musical" 'Grab Me a Gondola' (Theatre Museum, London); Jamie in 'Sleeping Beauty' (Courtyard, Hereford); Soldier in 'Nightingale' (Electric Theatre, Guildford); Henry Croft in the workshop of a new musical 'Jellicoe' (Shaw Theatre, London) and Eddie in 'Zip Goes a Million' (Covent Garden Festival). His international credits include: Principal Vocalist in 'Spirit of Broadway' (USA); two consecutive Christmas' as Peter Cratchitt / Young Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol' (English Theatre Co, Sweden) and soloist in 'Just Arrived' (Denmark), which was recorded live for Danish National Radio. Further recordings include the 2001 London cast recording of 'Zip Goes a Million', and Faithful in the world premiere of Carl Davis' 'Pilgrim's Progress'.

This Christmas sees Ashley returning to the role of Buttons in 'Cinderella' (having played it last year at the Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford) - this time at the Motherwell Theatre, Scotland.