Emmerdale star teases 'double family betrayal' as two new characters shake up village

Emmerdale star Beth Cordingly has revealed her character Ruby Fox-Miligan will slap her estranged daughter Steph (played by Georgia Jay) in forthcoming scenes of the ITV soap after a dramatic reunion in the village.

The Dales are set to welcome two new faces as the Miligan family expands but it won't be happy reunion for Ruby who is lost for words at seeing her daughter again, before her dad also arrives in the village for a surprise visit.

In forthcoming episodes, Ruby is rattled to see Steph Miligan for the first time in a decade and sends her husband Caleb (William Ash) away so they can have their first mum-and-daughter showdown in 10 years. Ruby tries to get to the bottom of Steph's relationship with her now deceased mum Helen (Sharon Maughan), but as Steph continues to berate her mother for her dysfunctional childhood, Ruby is pushed over the edge and slaps her.

But in another bombshell, Steph is not alone as she has brought along Ruby's dad Anthony (Nicholas Day) who she hasn't seen in nearly 30 years. Ruby is in disbelief to realise Steph set the reunion up and as her father tries to plead his case, Ruby storms out wanting nothing to do with him.

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Speaking to Leicestershire Live, actress Beth Cordingly teases her character Ruby Fox-Miligan will struggle when she realises Steph has built a close bond with her parents, despite them abandoning her when she was 18 and pregnant with Steph.

Explaining Steph and Ruby's reunion, Beth said: "Ruby is not very good at interpersonal relationships generally so Steph comes in with big energy and it starts getting heated. Then Caleb starts to calm things down and I do a classic Ruby of going 'will you just leave us alone, I want to speak to my daughter!'

"So he leaves and then we start having it out more, me and Steph, kids know how to push your buttons. Ruby carries a lot of guilt and is very aware that she hasn't realised how neglected Steph has felt over the years, that has really been from when she is very young, she's felt her mum didn't love her."

Explaining how Ruby's relationship with her own mum Helen has played a role in how she has parented Steph, Beth adds: "It has a lot to do with Ruby's mum, and around her vulnerabilities."

Georgia Jay, who plays Steph, added: "That was almost the catalyst around the slap, I said some remark about Helen, I said 'no wonder she didn't like you' or 'want to know you' because Steph has formed a close alliance with grandma, and then you slapped me which is not a great start to the reunion."

William Ash, who plays Caleb, added: "That alliance as well feels like a huge betrayal for Ruby and Caleb because when Ruby was pregnant with Steph, that's when Ruby was disowned by the family. They were completely cut off and that's why they went off on their own."

Ruby and Anthony have not seen each other for nearly three decades, and when Steph confirms she has a good relationship with her grandad it's seen as another disloyalty in Ruby's eyes.

Beth explained: "Just as Ruby's relationship with Steph is about to get off the ground, somebody else walks into the café and it's my dad. It's been engineered by Steph who thinks she is doing a nice thing by bringing her family together.

"I'm really shocked having not seen him for almost 30 years, then I feel double betrayed because I'm just about to build a relationship with Steph then this person from my past who I don't want to see appears, who Steph has been building a relationship with."

Will Ruby manage to find common ground with Steph?

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV and ITVX

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