This article contains discussion of child sexual abuse which some readers may wish to avoid.
Ruby Fox-Miligan (Beth Cordingly) sets about pursuing a DNA test for her daughter Steph (Georgia Jay) in Emmerdale next week, fearing Steph could be her abusive father Anthony’s (Nicholas Day) child.
Ruby’s life in the village was shaken a few weeks ago when Steph arrived, and it soon became clear the mother and daughter had a complicated relationship, having not seen each other in over a decade.
Steph was quickly followed by Anthony, who Ruby had also been estranged from.
A special episode later delved into the reasons why, with a series of flashback scenes confirming Anthony had sexually abused Ruby as a child, and she’s kept the ordeal a secret ever since.
Ruby’s husband Caleb Miligan (William Ash) has always believed Steph to be his daughter, and in scenes to air next week, Ruby sets about trying to quietly get some answers.
In recent scenes, Ruby bravely confided in Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) that Steph may not be Caleb’s daughter, revealing that she had been forced to have sex.
Chas suggested that finding out the truth about Steph’s paternity might help her, and by the end of the episode Ruby had placed an order for a DNA testing kit.
Next week, she manages to collect a hair sample from Steph and confides in Chas about her doubts, as a new spoiler video shows.
Chas is quick to quash her fears, assuring her that Caleb would be understanding if he turned out not to be Steph’s father.
Later, Ruby has a close call when Caleb returns home early just as she’s gathering his DNA.
Ruby and Steph attempt to bond on a spa day, and while it does start to bring them closer, Ruby remains anxious about her secret.
Their relationship then hits another snag when Steph finds an old photo from Ruby’s pregnancy, causing tension.
Steph confides in Anthony, who encourages Steph to be patient with her mum, darkly hinting at some hidden complexities…
Speaking about the storyline, Emmerdale producer, Laura Shaw, said previously: ‘Ruby has always been troubled and volatile in nature and finally our audience will be able to learn more about the past that has haunted her and made Ruby the woman she is today.’
Emmerdale airs these scenes from Monday 6 January at 7.30pm on ITV1 or stream first from 7am on ITVX.
