The former couple split in April 2022

The pair welcomed a daughter, Azaylia, in August 2020. She sadly passed away from leukemia at eight months old in April 2021.

Less than a year after her passing, the couple went their separate ways but remained friends and continue to honour their late daughter through 'The Azaylia Foundation'. 

Safiyya told The Sun that she always believed they would get back together.

"He said he couldn’t do it anymore," she revealed. We spoke nearly every day about the Foundation. We would hug like friends.

"I was waiting for him to say, ‘Let’s get back together, let’s have that baby’. I never asked him though. I didn’t want to push him away," she shared.

This comes following the news that her ex is now expecting a baby with another woman, whose identity has not been revealed.

When Ashley shared this huge life update with her, it was an emotionally challenging moment for Safiyya, she confessed to the outlet.

"That’s the heartbreaking thing about it. Even when he told me, I put him first so he didn’t feel guilty for telling me. Inside I was screaming and crying."

However, she admitted she found out online first.

"I was preparing to present an award, sitting on a table with Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock and sprinter Linford Christie.

"Somebody said there was footage of him online. I had no idea that was going to happen that day. I messaged him saying, ‘I’m just about to present an award. Like, seriously?’ He didn’t respond."

Following Safiyya's emotional omission about their split, Ashely has now hit back at trolls on social media, who have since conveyed their opinions towards the 'Full Monty' star online.

"Just because I don't speak, doesn't mean I can't speak, just means I choose not to," Ashely wrote over a post of a fan who defended him.

"Protection of the things and people I love that are in, have been or will be in my life will always come above and beyond anything else.

"No matter how many stones get thrown, or how hard they hurt, I will always stand on that."

This response was posted by a fan who used their platform to defend the former Coventry City.

"All these judgemental, horrible, got nothing better to do except put down a grieving father because he has moved on need to get a frigging life.. just because you don't see him crying or being sad does not mean he is okay," the fan reasonsed.

"He has lost a child to.. the comments on his post are disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourself for judging a man that takes all his strength just to be alive. Take it from another grieving parent."

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