Grab a cup of tea and brace yourselves, because the storm that Emmerdale fans thought had passed over the Dales is not only gathering its strength once more, but it’s set to unleash a torrent of long-buried secrets and devastating consequences. For months, a dark and heavy truth has poisoned the air in the picturesque village, a shared trauma binding a handful of its most beloved and beleaguered residents in a desperate pact of silence. We, along with millions of viewers, watched with bated breath and pounding hearts as Ruby Fox Milligan, portrayed with raw, unflinching honesty by the powerhouse actress Beth Cordingly, was pushed to her absolute breaking point. In a moment of shocking violence, born from years of unimaginable pain and relentless abuse, Ruby ended the tyrannical reign of her father, Anthony Fox. It was a desperate act of self-preservation, a harrowing climax to a lifetime of suffering.
But in the Dales, secrets have a nasty habit of refusing to stay buried. And now, in an exclusive revelation, Beth Cordingly has confirmed our deepest fears and most fervent hopes: the mystery surrounding Anthony Fox’s demise is far from over. Speaking with us at a glamorous photo shoot for the Inside Soap Awards 2025, a candid Beth pulled back the curtain, revealing that the ghost of Anthony is about to cast a very long, ominous shadow over the village once again. The “closure” that Ruby and her co-conspirators might have desperately hoped for, it turns out, never truly came.
The Crushing Weight of a Deadly Secret
Remember that collective sigh of relief we all breathed when Ruby, with the desperate, if somewhat misguided, help of Caleb, Jon, Aaron, Cain, and Chas, managed to meticulously cover up the crime? It felt, for a fleeting moment, like she might finally have a chance to heal, to escape the monstrous man who had haunted her entire life. But freedom, it turns out, is a much more complicated and terrifying beast than mere physical escape.
Speaking with a raw honesty that perfectly mirrors her on-screen character’s internal turmoil, Beth explained the crushing reality of Ruby’s new, clandestine existence. “Obviously, there’s a relief to the fact he’s gone,” she shared, her words painting a vivid picture of a woman caught between two nightmares. “But it’s thrown up new problems because she’s constantly living in fear that they’re going to be found out about what she did.” Can you even begin to imagine it? The man who caused you so much pain is gone, but in his place is a secret so monumental, so suffocating, that it threatens to swallow you whole. Every distant police siren, every unexpected knock at the door, every hushed, whispered conversation must feel like a potential ending, the gallows looming closer. Beth perfectly captures this torturous purgatory: “Ruby is dealing with a lot of guilt and confusion.”
And here’s the most chilling part, the detail that sends a genuine shiver down the spine: “And far too many people know the truth.” A secret is only as strong as its weakest link, and this chain of conspirators is long and fraught with tension. Cain, Aaron, Chas, Caleb, and the dangerously unpredictable Jon. It’s a powder keg of volatile personalities, each with their own motives and breaking points, and any one of them could be the spark that ignites the whole thing, sending Ruby’s precarious new life crashing down around her.
The Body in the Dark: A Cruel Trick of Fate
The tension reached an almost unbearable fever pitch earlier this year when a body was discovered in the lake. Viewers were collectively on the edge of their seats, convinced the game was finally up, that Anthony’s decaying corpse would finally be dredged from the murky depths, exposing Ruby and her accomplices to the full force of the law. But in a classic Emmerdale twist, it was Nate’s life hanging in the balance, not Anthony’s gruesome remains, that captivated the village. It was a moment of false hope for the “murder gang,” a cruel trick of fate that only delayed the inevitable reckoning.
This agonizing delay means that the ultimate trump card, the precise location of Anthony’s body, is still held by one person: the dangerously unpredictable Jon. He’s the only one who claims to know where the damning evidence is hidden, and he’s been dangling that power over them like a hangman’s noose, relishing in their palpable fear. But is his claim even true? Has the secret been lying dormant exactly where he said, or is there yet another twist, another layer to this gut-wrenching tale? Beth’s eyes lit up with the thrill of the story as she reassured us that this major plot point is about to roar back to life. “That hasn’t been forgotten,” she exclaimed, a tantalizing promise of high-stakes drama to come. “I wondered if maybe it’s a bluff and it’s actually where Jon said it was originally. We’re going to revisit that in the near future.”
The near future. The clock is officially ticking. The question is no longer if Anthony’s body will be found, but when, and, perhaps most terrifyingly, who will be standing in the fallout when it finally is. For Ruby, it’s not just her freedom at stake, but her sanity, her very soul.
Beth Cordingly: A Performance That Matters
It’s this kind of raw, unflinching storytelling that has rightfully earned Beth Cordingly a well-deserved nomination for Best Actress at this year’s awards. Portraying a survivor of long-term abuse is an immense responsibility, demanding not only talent but profound empathy and meticulous dedication. Beth has poured her heart and soul into doing it justice. “It was an honor to be given the storyline, and it’s a subject I feel really passionate about,” she told us, her voice filled with genuine emotion. This isn’t just another job for her; it’s deeply personal. “My mom worked in child protection and I used to be an ambassador for Childline and have worked with the NPCC.”
That deep personal connection shines through in every nuanced expression and every tortured glance. She, along with Emmerdale’s incredible writing team, has crafted a character who is not just a victim, but a survivor, a fighter, and a deeply flawed, relatable human being. “I also did lots of research on case studies about people who have been through that situation,” she added, highlighting her commitment to authenticity. “The scripts were so well written. We all desperately wanted to tell the story in a way people could relate to.” They succeeded. They truly, truly did.
A Beacon in the Storm: Ruby and Caleb’s Fiery Love
Of course, in the midst of this pervasive darkness and impending dread, there has been a consistent beacon of light: the unshakable, if often tumultuous, bond between Ruby and Caleb. Their relationship has also been rightfully recognized with a nod for Best Partnership, and it’s not hard to see why viewers have fallen completely in love with them. “It’s the fact that they’ve been together since they were 15,” Beth explained, a warm smile spreading across her face. “There’s a history there, a foundation so deep it can withstand almost any earthquake.” One of Emmerdale’s producers once perfectly encapsulated their connection: “One of our producers once said to me that the way she saw their relationship was that it was pure, which I really love. That really helps me when I’m thinking about how we play stuff out.”
Pure, yes, but never boring. “I think also it’s a very fiery relationship. It can be very fun and funny,” she laughed, emphasizing the lighter moments that make them so human. “Because they met when they were so young, they still act like teenagers sometimes. Well, Ruby does. Caleb doesn’t really!” It’s this captivating blend of epic, enduring love story and playful, realistic bickering that makes them so compelling to watch. They are each other’s anchor in the storm, a shared haven in a world threatening to implode.
Emmerdale Deserves the Crown: High-Octane Drama and Imminent Crash
With storylines this powerful, this emotionally resonant, and performances this breathtaking, it’s no wonder Emmerdale is in the running for the coveted Best Soap award. When asked why the show should take home the gold, Beth’s pride was palpable. “I think there’s been some fantastic storylines and acting. I have to say the Limo Crash was one of the best episodes of a soap I’ve ever seen.”
And she’s absolutely right. Emmerdale has been firing on all cylinders, consistently delivering not just quiet, character-driven moments of heartbreaking intimacy, but also high-octane stunts and shocking sequences that leave viewers reeling. The “Limo Crash” she refers to is a testament to Emmerdale’s ability to orchestrate catastrophic events that metaphorically, and sometimes literally, send characters’ lives into a destructive spiral. Ruby Milligan’s entire world is on the precipice of just such a “tragic car crash” – not a literal one (yet), but an inevitable, devastating collision with the consequences of her actions and the secrets she’s buried. The sheer intensity and emotional weight of her current arc exemplify Emmerdale’s commitment to truly gripping and consequential drama.
Beyond the raw drama, there’s a real heart to the show, a connection with its audience that feels like family. And Beth had a special, heartfelt message for every single one of us. “We know how much the fans love us,” she said warmly, “and I want to say we love you back.”
So, as we prepare for the inevitable explosion of Ruby’s secret, for the final reckoning that looms large over the Dales, let’s show our appreciation. If you’ve been gripped by this harrowing mystery, if you’ve championed the enduring love of Ruby and Caleb, and if you believe in the power of these incredible stories to enlighten and entertain, make your voice heard. The darkness is gathering over the Dales once more, promising a dramatic car crash of revelations. For Ruby Fox Milligan, the true consequences are yet to come. The ghosts of the past are knocking, and soon, the door is going to be blown off its hinges. We, for one, cannot wait to witness the fallout.
