Ruby Fox-Miligan in Emmerdale has only been in the village for a year, but she’s definitely made her mark and she’s becoming a fan favourite. She is the wife of businessman Caleb Miligan and mum to their son Nicky Miligan, and their estranged daughter, Steph, who recently arrived in Emmerdale.
Ruby’s outspoken and no-holds-barred personality hasn’t always won her many fans, especially at first, but viewers have got to know her now and seen her more vulnerable side.
And the recent arrival of her father, Anthony, that opened up Ruby’s past has left fans in awe of Beth Cordingly, who plays Ruby. It has been revealed that the ruthless, outspoken exterior hides a painful past in which she was sexually abused by her dad.
Who is Ruby Fox Miligan in Emmerdale?
The character made her on-screen debut in January 2024 and it was quite the entrance!
Viewers first caught sight of Ruby when Nate Robinson burst in on her and Caleb romping on the sofa in Mill Cottage.
First impressions of Ruby suggested she was feisty, ruthless and has a lust for the finer things. Caleb’s successful business ventures have afforded them a very comfortable lifestyle, which Ruby clearly enjoys.
Despite Caleb leading everyone to believe he and Ruby were estranged when he first came to the village, the couple are still very much together. Though they’ve had their ups and downs and Caleb revealed to Chas that Steph‘s turbulent childhood was in part due to her finding out about an affair he’d had.
Ruby and Caleb have been an item for over 30 years, since they were teenagers, and she’s clearly very possessive over him.
Ruby’s dramatic arrival
Emmerdale fans aren’t going to forget Ruby’s spicy debut in a hurry.
Ruby was caught enjoying a spot of afternoon delight with Caleb by Nate – who had stormed into Mill Cottage expecting to find his uncle with his wife, Tracy.
She’s no fool and Ruby’s suspicions were quickly aroused. She soon tracked Caleb and Tracy to find out the truth.
Ruby was quick to discover her husband had been playing away (again). She then ensured maximum embarrassment by publicly outing Caleb and Tracy’s affair at Belle and Tom’s wedding reception.
Ruby and Caleb’s relationship in Emmerdale
Ruby and Caleb’s marriage is best described as dysfunctional. The couple have been together for nearly three decades and have certainly had their ups and downs during that time.
Their upbringings couldn’t have been more different. Ruby came from a well-to-do family, while Caleb was raised in the care system.
They met as teenagers and it wasn’t long before Ruby fell pregnant. Her family disapproved of their relationship and forced Ruby to make a choice between them and Caleb, and she opted for the latter. But now we know that’s not actually the full story. More on that later.
Ruby is more than a match for cocky Caleb, and has totally got the measure of him. She’s fully aware of his extramarital antics, and tolerates him cheating while she’s not around. However Tracy was different as she could see he had developed real feelings for his nephew’s wife.
Caleb and Ruby are now officially back together. And she’ll be keeping a very close eye on him – expect fireworks!
She’s a protective mum
Ruby is very close to her only son, Nicky Miligan.
Ruby trusts Nicky with her secrets, but as a result he often found himself caught in the middle of her and Caleb’s problems.
And he definitely doesn’t always approve of his mum’s actions. He moved out of the family home, unable to live with her due to what she did to Ethan. And now he and partner Suni have left the village in order to get some space.
Relationship with Steph
When Ruby first arrived in Emmerdale we didn’t know she and Caleb had a daughter, too. They didn’t speak about Steph until Ruby’s mum died and old family secrets got dragged up.
Now Steph’s arrived in the village wanting her inheritance and with a few scores to settle too. Ruby has desperately been trying to make amends with her daughter, but unfortunately Ruby’s dad comes as part of the package.
Steph has developed a close relationship with the man she believes to only be her grandfather. She has forced Anthony upon Ruby and insisted they get along, or else Ruby will lose Steph for good. But little does Steph – or anyone, in fact – know the terrible secret Ruby has been hiding about her dad since she was a teen.
What happened between Ruby and her dad in Emmerdale?
Ever since Anthony arrived in Emmerdale it has been very clear Ruby can’t bear to be near him. In public, he is charming and generous and everyone in the village loves him. Even Caleb, who believes Anthony threw his wife out because she was pregnant, has warmed to him and has urged Ruby to forgive him. Especially as Anthony claims to be dying from cancer.
Ruby has put on a brave face as much as she can. This despite Anthony’s sinister behaviour and threats to reveal her hook-up with Cain. It was soon very clear to viewers there was much more to this. Then in December 2024, flashbacks to Ruby’s 16th birthday, revealedthat her dad had sexually abused her as a child. It started when Ruby was just 14.
When Ruby fell pregnant she didn’t know if Anthony or Caleb was the father. Desperate to believe it was the man she loved, Ruby left with Caleb. She has kept her secret for over 30 years.
Until now, when Anthony’s presence and the encouragement of Chas, has made Ruby seek answers. However, they were the answers she didn’t want: Caleb is not Steph’s father. This leaves only one outcome: Steph is the product of incest and her grandad is also her dad.
Anthony is set to be murdered in the coming weeks after the truth comes out. But is Ruby the one responsible for ending her father’s life – and easing her own pain after all these years?
Fling with Cain Dingle
In amongst the devastation of having her abusive father back in her life, Ruby started to spiral. She sought solace in Cain’s garage, where he was also seeking comfort at the bottom of a whiskey bottle as his wife, Moira, was having brain surgery.
One thing led to another and Cain and Ruby slept together. Just once. And it was very definitely a mistake, one neither of them wants to repeat.
In fact, now they are just desperate to keep it quiet. But Cain’s guilt is eating away at him, plus Anthony now knows the truth and is using it to blackmail Ruby. Can Cain stop the secret getting out?
Ruby’s mum
When Ruby’s mum was dying, she wanted to see her daughter. But Caleb intercepted the phone call and went to see his mother-in-law, Helen, instead.
He blackmailed Helen into giving him £100,000 and robbed Ruby of the chance to speak to her estranged mum before she died.
Now Ruby knows the truth but her heartbreak over Caleb’s actions has been put to one side while she deals with the return of Steph and her dad in her life.
But the question remains whether Helen knew of Ruby’s abuse and failed to act? Or was she oblivious to the whole thing?
Is Ruby a killer?
When son Nicky was left in a coma with a bleed on the brain following a car accident, Ruby wanted revenge. Of course she was never going to get revenge through the normal, legal channels and instead drove a car at the person who had been driving when Nicky was hurt.
She knocked down Ethan Anderson and made it very clear next time she would finish the job. However it seems she didn’t have to because despite getting up and walking away, a few days later, Ethan dropped dead.
His father Charles believed it was as a direct result of the hit and run, but Ruby kept quiet over her involvement .
The coroner then confirmed Ethan had a brain aneurism and Ruby was not responsible for Ethan’s death.
Ruby and Rose Jackson
When Dawn Fletcher’s estranged mum, Rose, arrived in the Dales having walked out on her when she was just five years old, it seemed a strange coincidence. But of course, nothing’s ever a coincidence in Soapland and it was soon discovered by viewers Rose hadn’t arrived of her own accord at all.
In fact, Ruby had paid off all her debts in exchange for her help ruining Kim Tate’s life. When Ruby first arrived she had actually tried to team up with Kim to take down Caleb, however, Kim didn’t trust her and Ruby ended up back in Caleb’s arms anyway.
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Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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