Who is Beth Cordingly? Meet the Emmerdale star behind newcomer Ruby Fox-Milligan

A mountain of drama is no doubt on the way, but for now, you might be wondering about the star behind outspoken, fun-loving Ruby!

Read on for all you need to know.

Who plays Ruby Fox-Milligan in Emmerdale?

Ruby is played by actress Beth Cordingly, making her first appearance in Emmerdale on Thursday 25th January 2024.

Who is Beth Cordingly and what has she starred in?

Cordingly is perhaps best known for her role as PC Kerry Young in police drama The Bill. She played Kerry from 2002-2004, when the character was killed off.

The actress also starred in former soap Family Affairs as a troubled young woman called Sara Warrington, and in Secret Diary of a Call Girl alongside Billie Piper.

In 2017, Cordingly starred alongside EastEnders icon Linda Henry, playing Debbie Morton, the cellmate of Shirley Carter.

Who is Ruby on Emmerdale?

Ruby is the estranged wife of Caleb Milligan (William Ash), who made a shocking debut as she was caught in a passionate embrace with the man himself.

She has since made herself at home at the Mill with Caleb and their son Nicky (Lewis Cope). Little does Ruby know that Caleb has been having an affair with Tracy Robinson (Amy Walsh), wife of his own nephew Nate (Jurell Carter)!

Ruby has already made her mark among the Dingles, demanding an audience with them despite Caleb making it clear that they are in the middle of their 5th attempt at a divorce!

What has Beth Cordingly said about Emmerdale?

In an interview with the Mirror, Cordingly said of alter ego Ruby's romance with Caleb: “Caleb was Ruby’s bad boy. They met when they were young, she was from a posh family and she got pregnant with Nicky.

“Her family kicked her out and Caleb was all she had. They have a very volatile relationship and sometimes break up but she is so in love with Caleb. She can’t live without him. There is that unwritten rule that it is OK to have a fling whilst they are on a ‘break’ but not actually fall for anyone else.

“And so when Ruby arrives in Yorkshire, she is threatened by Tracy. She can see he has feelings for her and she sets out to destroy Tracy. She is a troublemaker, a fireball, and she doesn’t care who she hurts. She also has an impulsive temper."

Look like Tracy better watch her back! And Cordingly added that she's having so much fun playing Ruby.

“Playing such a troublemaker is so fun and it would have been hard to turn this role down as it is quite rare you get offered parts like Ruby at my age. She is so unpredictable!”

Teasing that she will share scenes with Kim Tate star Claire King, the actress went on to say: “I’d like to think I am a lot kinder than Ruby in real life and more of a people pleaser.

"That said, when I told my mum Ruby had an impulsive temper, she laughed and told me: ‘That won’t be a problem for you to act out!’”

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Emmerdale airs on weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Soaps hub.

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