Emmerdale fans have received an update on whether Steph Milligan will return to the ITV soap, 10 months after her departure from the Dales.
The actress first appeared on the ITV soap two years ago as Steph Milligan, daughter of Ruby and Caleb. She arrived in the village with her grandfather Anthony Fox, unaware of his disturbing past.
Viewers discovered the reason behind Ruby's struggles when flashbacks revealed that Anthony had repeatedly sexually abused her during her teenage years. The horror deepened when a DNA test showed that Steph was Anthony's biological daughter.
Ruby's daughter entered the soap in 2024. Her grandfather was later killed by Ruby after several fatal blows from Aaron Dingle, who sought justice based on his own experience with an abusive father, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
Ruby then revealed everything to Steph, sending her into a downward spiral. Steph even considered plastic surgery because all she could see was Anthony's reflection staring back at her. Ultimately, she announced her departure to Rome for a yoga retreat. After an emotional farewell from her parents, Ross Barton tried to convince her to stay, but his efforts were futile.
In recent episodes, Steph was mentioned again after an AI replica of her voice was used to defraud Caleb of thousands of pounds. Fans may have hoped for Steph's return, but on Friday (June 12), Ruby noted that Caleb has been missing his daughter. When Chas asked if Steph might return soon, Ruby replied: "I doubt it. She's all settled now. She's got a new bloke. They're off on holiday in Thailand. Don't tell Caleb she's there. She doesn't want him to know – he worries!"
Georgia, who played Steph, still looks back warmly on her stint in the Yorkshire-set soap. She took to Instagram to share photos with her on-screen parents William Ash and Beth Cordingly, as well as Ross Barton star Michael Parr. She wrote: "Can't believe I left the village nearly a year ago! Miss you Steph, and everyone who made it so special."
Since leaving Emmerdale, Georgia appeared on ITV's The Hack, a series about the phone hacking scandal that shocked the nation. Spanning from 2002 to 2012, the drama intertwines two real-life stories.
Emmerdale is available to watch on ITVX.
