Emmerdale star Georgia Jay has revealed that Steph Miligan will have a “breakdown” in her ongoing storyline with Anthony Fox.

Jay joined the soap last year, with her character Steph – the estranged daughter of Caleb and Ruby – setting foot in the village in November. Just a few days after Steph’s arrival, Anthony – Ruby’s father – made his own presence known, though Ruby seemed particularly perturbed by his re-appearance in her life.

It was later revealed that Anthony had sexually assaulted Ruby when she was a teenager, with the character suspecting that he may be Steph’s father. Ruby has since arranged a DNA test to confirm if Caleb is the father, which Caleb will uncover next week.

In an interview with Inside Soap, Jay spoke about the devastating storyline, sharing that it would tell an important message as she said: “It’s heartbreaking, but such an important storyline to tell. I’m proud to be part of a show that’s willing to explore these topics and bring them to the forefront.

“It’s going to be a big year for her [Steph],” she continued. “As the fallout continues, it will throw her into a bit of a crisis and a breakdown. It’ll be a challenging time for Steph – we’ll see a very vulnerable side to her. There’s more twists and turns to come.”

Whilst the new year may throw some obstacles in Steph’s way, Jay emphasised the importance of such a storyline, adding that she felt a real sense of “responsibility” as an actor to deliver the themes appropriately.

“There’s always going to be a bit of apprehension because you want to get it right,” she said. “There’s a real sense of responsibility. But there’s another side of me as an actor, that these big moments are what push me – they’re rewarding to be part of.”