Emmerdale’s Beth Cordingly Shuts Down Anthony Fox Return Theories
Emmerdale star Beth Cordingly has responded to fan speculation that her character Ruby Miligan’s abusive father, Anthony Fox, might still be alive — and her reaction was blunt: “I hope not!”
Anthony Fox’s Disturbing Storyline
Ruby’s introduction to the Dales last year revealed a dark and traumatic past. Flashbacks confirmed that Anthony had sexually abused Ruby when she was a teenager, and a later DNA test revealed he had also fathered her daughter, Steph.
Anthony’s reign of terror ended when Aaron Dingle attacked him after drawing parallels to his own abusive father. Ruby ultimately killed Anthony, with John Sugden later hiding the body and using it as leverage to manipulate Caleb.
John’s Blackmail and Anthony’s Body
Earlier this year, John blackmailed Caleb, threatening to expose Anthony’s murder unless he helped him flee the country. In exchange for his freedom, John gave Caleb the exact location of Anthony’s body.
While Caleb later confirmed that the remains were indeed there, the soap never showed viewers the body on-screen, sparking speculation that Anthony might still be alive.
Beth Cordingly’s Response
Speaking to Metro at the Inside Soap Awards, Beth admitted her own father had come across the fan chatter online.
“My dad gets on his news feed what the fans think. They all think [Anthony] is coming back,” she said. Laughing, she added: “I hope not!”
William Ash Backs It Up
Beth’s co-star William Ash (Caleb) echoed her comments while speaking at the Cure Usher Ball.
“I think that’s been put to bed now. Unless the writers have got something in mind, because we never actually saw what happened. We never actually saw the body. I think off screen, Caleb has actually moved that body somewhere else, so I think it’s well and truly finished.”
Is the Door Really Closed?
While Emmerdale has a history of surprise resurrections, both actors seem confident Anthony’s story is over for good. Still, the fact viewers never saw his body leaves a sliver of doubt — something soaps are notorious for exploiting.
For now, Ruby’s torment looks firmly in the past, but in Emmerdale, secrets never stay buried forever.