Steph Miligan: Messy childhood, relationship with Caleb and why she fell out with her mum
Is Steph here to stay?
Steph Miligan made her explosive entrance into Emmerdale last week, where she revealed she was only there because she knew her mum Ruby wasn’t.
Ruby and Caleb’s estranged daughter has been mentioned over the past months, but now we finally get to meet the mystery Miligan.
But what exactly is her back story and why did she fall out with her mum?
Who is Steph Miligan in Emmerdale?
Steph is the estranged daughter of Caleb Miligan and Ruby Fox-Miligan. She also has a brother, Nicky, who left the Dales earlier this year with boyfriend Suni.
Steph is described as, “smart, confident and completely reckless” and is said to share the “best and worst parts” of her parents with her “narcissistic need to win at all costs.”
Steph hadn’t seen her parents in over a decade, but it was recently revealed that she’d been in touch with her grandmother after Ruby’s mum Helen left everything in her will to Steph.
Speaking to Emmerdale Insider and other media about her character, actress Georgia Jay said: “She’s definitely not there to stay. It’s a kind of ‘come in, I want something, and I’m gonna leave’ kind of thing.
Steph’s arrival in Emmerdale
Steph’s first appearance aired on Friday, November 15. While Jai had Caleb pinned against a pile of planks following the revelation that Caleb had conned him, Steph made a timely entrance.
She revealed to her father that she’d been in touch with Nicky. She had only came to visit while Ruby was staying with Nicky, so that she didn’t have to see her mum.
But it wasn’t necessarily good news for Caleb either, as Steph shared that she didn’t particularly want to see him either. She was just stopping to sort out her grandmother’s inheritance and then she’d be leaving again.
However, romance with Ross Barton appears to be on the cards, so perhaps she’ll be persuaded to stay longer.
Why did Steph fall out with Ruby?
It was previously shared that Steph was sent away to boarding school when she was a teenager and has suffered abandonment issues. Although both parents agreed to send Steph away, it was more Ruby’s decision.
In Monday’s episode (November 18), as Steph and Ruby shared a war of words, more was revealed about why Steph seems to hate her mum more than her dad.
As Ruby said she stands by the decision to send Steph away, Steph responded: “You couldn’t be bothered, mum, just own it.” With Ruby screaming back: “You stole a car! You were 14 and out of control. You try owning that!”
Steph explained to her mum that she was only acting up because she wanted attention. She said she was “desperate for someone to give a toss.” She expanded on her feelings of abandonment by explaining, “Other kids had mums. I had this cold-hearted fake that couldn’t stand to have me near her. Oh, Mummy’s busy. Mummy’s tried. Mummy’s got a headache.” Steph added that her mum was a “selfish [bleep].”
Steph hit a nerve with Ruby and promptly received a slap. But she wasn’t finished, as she told her mum: “I grew up thinking it was all my fault, that I must be really unlovable.” And on her experience at boarding school, Steph revealed: “I had no friends, was bullied, begged you to come home.”
Ruby remained in denial though and claimed she had no memory of that.
Steph’s relationship with her dad
During a heart-to-heart with sister Chas, Caleb revealed that he and Steph had had a good relationship when she was young. He told Chas: “She was my little mate, you know? She was like my shadow. And I let her down. And this is why I never talk about her because it hurts so much. It’s easier to just pretend she didn’t exist.”
It was revealed that Steph had caught her dad with another woman and that resulted in her bad behaviour. Caleb blames himself for Steph’s resentment and told Chas that he wished he’d fought her corner more.
Speaking about Steph and Caleb, Georgia said: “She was much more of a daddy’s girl. I think growing up, being quite similar to Ruby, the clash was there and naturally Caleb and Steph had a very good relationship. And, when she went to boarding school, it was very much the decision of Ruby.”
So while Steph is more amicable with her father, it remains to be seen if there is any way to repair the damaged relationship with her mother.
Who plays Steph Miligan in Emmerdale?
Steph is played by Georgia Jay, also known as Georgina Philipps. Little is known about her life off-screen, but on-screen, Georgia is best known for her role as Dianne Vickers in BBC’s Giri/Haji.
She also has acting credits for historical drama Glow & Darkness and film The Devil Sits on Both Shoulders.
Speaking about joining Emmerdale, Georgia said: “I am thrilled to be joining the cast of Emmerdale. The cast and crew have all been so welcoming and I’m very excited to see what lies ahead for Steph, given her intriguing backstory.”
Read more: Complete Emmerdale cast list 2024
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside