Ruby Fox-Miligan

''Emmerdale'' is a British ITV soap opera that first aired on 16 October 1972. The following characters debuted in 2024. Ella Forster (Paula Lane) made first appearance in January, as did Ruby Miligan ( Beth Cordingly), the wife of Caleb Miligan ( William Ash) and the mother of his son, Nicky Miligan (Lewis Cope). Rose Jackson (Christine Tremarco), the estranged ex-wife of Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) and mother of Dawn Fletcher ( Olivia Bromley), debuted in April. In June, Josh Cope (Oisin Morgan), the transphobic friend of Samson Dingle (Sam Hall) arrived in the village, followed in August by John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), the long-lost son of Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) and half-brother of Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) arrived. He was followed by Helen Fox (Sharon Maughan), Ruby's mother, and DS Foy (Robert Cavanah), a police officer investigating Belle King's (Eden Taylor-Draper) attack on her husband Thomas King (James Chase) with an axe, in September. In October, boxing promoter, Jade Garrick (Twinnie-Lee Moore) made her first appearance, followed by Caleb and Ruby's daughter, Steph Miligan ( Georgia Jay) and Ruby's father, Anthony Fox ( Nicholas Day) in November. Additionally, several other characters appeared throughout the year.

Ella Forster

Ella Forster, played by Paula Lane, made her first appearance on 16 January 2024. The character and casting was announced on 21 November 2023, with it being reported that Lane would begin filming that same month. Ella was described as "compassionate and caring" and "far from a pushover" and it was teased that it would not be long until Ella is "turning heads in the village". Ella will meet Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) and her partner, Paddy Dingle (Dominic Brunt), at the veterinary ball, which will lead to Ella losing her job after sticking up for Mandy, but then find luck when she has a "chance encounter" with local doctor Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker). Speaking about her casting, Lane, known for her role as Kylie Platt in another ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', said that was she was excited to be joining the ''Emmerdale'' cast, adding: "Everyone has been so welcoming and I can't wait to start a new chapter playing the role of Ella. I've already heard there are big plans for her and I can't wait to see her navigate a new life in the village and hopefully make some friends!"

Ruby Fox-Miligan

Ruby Miligan (also Fox-Miligan), played by Beth Cordingly, made her first appearance on 25 January 2024. Ruby is the wife of Caleb Miligan ( William Ash) and the mother of his son, Nicky Miligan (Lewis Cope). ''Emmerdale'' producer Laura Shaw teased the character's arrival in October 2023 when she said that the affair between Caleb and Tracy Metcalfe ( Amy Walsh) would lead to a "new arrival" who would cause uproar, which Shaw was excited about. The following month, the character was officially announced by Shaw at an ''Emmerdale'' press event, though the portrayer of the character was not revealed. On 6 December 2023, Jessica Sansome of the ''Manchester Evening News'' confirmed that Beth Cordingly had been cast as Ruby. Of her casting, Cordingly stated "I'm delighted to be joining the cast of ''Emmerdale'', it's an enormous privilege and Ruby is a dream role. She's a firecracker and a troublemaker and I think people will love her or hate her, and I can't wait to get stuck in with this fabulous cast."

Speaking of the character, Shaw teased "We've heard mention before of ubyand we've just heard little bits from Caleb saying it's 'all over between them' and that 'there's nothing going on' but is that really true? In the new year we will see Ruby bursting onto our screens. She is an absolute firecracker. She's going to put a real spanner into the Dingles. Is her and Caleb's relationship really over as he's made out? We'll find out in the new year. Fans will have to wait and see who bosses have cast as the feisty newcomer." The character was later billed as "fiery, confident, unpredictable and a fiercely devoted mum." Sansome (''Manchester Evening News'') reported that Ruby would "happily destroy" any family that Caleb has established on his own while he has been away from her, adding that "Ruby's a force to be reckoned with and a ticking time bomb." Producer Kate Brooks said the character had "scores to settle" and being loyal to her family, she will protect them by any means. Brooks also said that Ruby and Caleb's relationship is both passionate and volatile.

In November 2024, Georgia Jay and Nicholas Day were introduced to ''Emmerdale'' as Ruby's daughter Steph Miligan and father Anthony Fox respectively. Ruby has tried to rebuild bridges with Steph since her arrival, but Anthony's presence in the village makes her uneasy. On 30 November 2024, it was announced that a special flashback episode which aired on 12 December 2024 which would show Ruby's sixteenth birthday party in 1992. These scenes were described to give viewers a "surprising insight into Ruby's past." When these scenes aired, it was confirmed that Ruby was sexually abused by her father on her 16th birthday. Speaking about the flashback episode, ''Emmerdale'' producer, Laura Shaw said: "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." Rachel Alsop played Ruby in these flashback scenes. During the episode broadcast on 28 April 2025, the character announced her intention to change her surname to Miligan, and this was reflected in the closing credits.

For her role as Ruby, Cordingly was longlisted for "Best Newcomer" and "Best Villain" at the 2024 ''Inside Soap'' Awards. Of the character's arrival, Claire Crick from ''What to Watch'' wrote that "Fans' prayers have been answered". Following the character's debut, Laura-Jayne Tyler from ''Inside Soap'' wrote that "Ruby's our new favourite character of 2024, and we'll fight anyone who says otherwise."

Rose Jackson

Rose Jackson, played by Christine Tremarco, made her first appearance on 25 April 2024. It was revealed that the character has been living abroad in Benidorm and is already known to established character, Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) and is going to "cause a stir" between him and his wife Kim Tate (Claire King). Brenna Cooper from ''Digital Spy'' reported that Rose's arrival will "ruffle feathers between the couple after Will fails to mention to his wife that he knows the bolshy and boisterous new arrival." Of her casting, Tremarco said, "I am thrilled to be joining Emmerdale! To be working with such a wonderful cast and crew along with the brilliant writing and production team is an absolute joy! Rose is so much fun to play. She is free-spirited, boisterous and totally mischievous with a steely edge and a big heart." ''Emmerdale'' producer Laura Shaw added the ''Emmerdale'' team was "massively delighted to welcome Christine Tremarco to the Emmerdale family." When Rose first appears in Emmerdale, she is visited by Will, who is not happy with her arrival. It is later revealed that she is his ex-wife and also the mother of his daughter, Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley).

Laura-Jayne Tyler from ''Inside Soap'' commented on how fans were speculating on social media that Rose would be a donor match for her grandson, Evan Fletcher, with Tyler suspecting that they are "right". Tyler's colleague, Gary Gillatt, called Rose "wonderfully bumptious" and said that she was "seemingly invented to spit venom at Kim". Chloe Timms from the same magazine believed that Rose had "Faith Dingle energy".

Josh Cope

Josh Cope, played by Osian Morgan, made his first appearance on the 3 June 2024. His casting was announced on 23 May 2024, with it being teased that the character would be "stirring trouble" in the village and be involved in a new storyline with Samson Dingle (Sam Hall). Josh is introduced as the transphobic friend of Samson, who he has a drink with at ''The Hide'' where Matty ( Ash Palmisciano) and his wife, Amy Barton ( Natalie Ann Jamieson) work. Josh begins to flirt with Amy, which makes her feel uncomfortable and subsequently decided to leave work early as she can't cope with Josh's constant flirting. Matty asks the two boys to leave the premises, Josh then threatens Matty, who is holding a knife whilst chopping vegetables, asking him for the cash till. Matty refuses and Josh pushes Samson into him and Samson ends up getting stabbed by accident.

Daniel Kilkelly from ''Digital Spy'' found problems within the storyline such as a "lack of build-up" as Josh was only introduced three days before the stabbing took place. He also said that Josh has "a hold on Samson" and "it's not clear enough why Samson is scared to speak up against Josh, but has no problem defying his dangerous relative Cain Dingle ( Jeff Hordley), who wants him to change his story." Kilkelly also said it would have been "more effective to see Samson and Josh's friendship grow over a period of weeks rather than days, even if they were playing minor roles in episodes before eventually coming to the forefront."

Les Carmichael

Les Carmichael, portrayed by Stacy J Gough, was Matty Barton's ( Ash Palmisciano) cellmate in ''HMP Hotten''. Gough's casting was announced on 25 June 2024, two days before his character's first appearance. Matty confides in Les about being transgender and Les helps him by telling him how to behave in prison. He confirms that he will mind his own business regarding Matty's life, but warns him that other prisoners aren't so kind. He also protects Matty from another inmate named Robbo (John O'Neil), who tries to get the lowdown on Matty.

Palmisciano spoke about the importance of tackling transphobia in the plot, explaining that the show has aimed to portray "how vulnerable Matty can be in a situation like osh's taunts Not everyone is super accepting," he said, adding: "It is great Matty's got that support. It's lovely to tell, we showed the wedding recently, it was an exciting joyous moment. It looked so incredible on screen. But sometimes we need to show the flip side of that, how it could go the other way and could be quite cruel for someone like Matty. It shows the bigger picture of what it is like to be him. I was really excited, and it's fantastic we get to mirror that and to tell that story."

Robbo

Robbo, played by John O'Neil, was a transphobic inmate at the prison HMP Hotten, where Matty Barton ( Ash Palmisciano) was after accidentally stabbing Samson Dingle (Sam Hall) after being pushed by Josh Cope (Oisian Morgan) whilst holding a knife after chopping fruit. O'Neil's casting was announced on 2 July 2024, two days before his first appearance, however the character was announced on 25 June 2024. When Matty first arrived in prison, he kept being transgender to himself and confided in Les Carmichael (Stacy J Gough), however Robbo discovered that Matty was hiding something. Robbo was curious to find out what Matty was hiding, so when he was visited by his wife, Amy Barton ( Natalie Ann Jamieson), Robbo approached her and finds out his secret from her as she thinks he is Les.

Palmisciano spoke about the importance of tackling transphobia in the plot, explaining that the show has aimed to portray "how vulnerable Matty can be in a situation like osh's taunts Not everyone is super accepting," he said, adding: "It is great Matty's got that support. It's lovely to tell, we showed the wedding recently, it was an exciting joyous moment. It looked so incredible on screen. But sometimes we need to show the flip side of that, how it could go the other way and could be quite cruel for someone like Matty. It shows the bigger picture of what it is like to be him. I was really excited, and it's fantastic we get to mirror that and to tell that story." O'Neill and Palmisciano's relationship off-screen has been described to be more "harmonious." Palmisciano posted behind the scenes photos on Instagram with O'Neill and Gough with the caption: "The nicest prison baddie I could be working with and the best prison mate ever, hats off to you both." O'Neill also posted some photos with the caption: "Had an absolute blast shooting on this job. We did laugh outside of the takes, promise."

John Sugden

John Sugden, played by Oliver Farnworth, made his first appearance on 7 August 2024. His casting was announced on 2 July 2024, and he is the half-brother of Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins). His arrival is set to "cause chaos" for Victoria, who alongside her son Harry Sugden (Adam Pryor) and adoptive niece Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill), are the only members of the Sugden family left in ''Emmerdale''. John's arrival is also due to "introduce a new generation of the long-running Sugden family, who have been in the programme since it debuted in 1972. John is also set to "catch the eye" of a particular resident, which will "cause lots of drama." How John is related to Victoria had not been confirmed when Farnworth's casting was announced, however on 29 July 2024, it was revealed that he was Victoria's half-brother. His arrival is "bound to raise plenty of questions." John's character has been described to be "brooding and mysterious" and will introduce "fresh challenges and intriguing relationships" for those already living in the village. It was confirmed on 31 July 2024 that John is "openly gay" and has a "military past" according to Farnworth.

''Emmerdale'' executive producer, Laura Shaw said that everyone at ''Emmerdale'' "thrilled to have an actor with Oliver's talent and presence join the ''Emmerdale'' family". She also reflected on the significance of his place within the Sugden family, "the Sugdens have always been central to ''Emmerdale'', and introducing a new member opens up exciting possibilities for future storylines. Mysterious John's arrival will no doubt create a stir in the village for Victoria and the wider community." Farnworth has played roles in other soap operas, such as ''Coronation Street'' and ''Hollyoaks'', and following those previous roles, Farnworth revealed he is "absolutely delighted to be joining the cast of ''Emmerdale''. The show has such a rich history, and the Sugden family is integral to that. I'm looking forward to bringing my character to life and working with such a talented and dedicated team." Danny Miller, who plays Aaron Dingle, reported to ''Digital Spy'' that his character will feature in scenes with John. He reported: "There's a Sugden coming in. With the history that Aaron has with Robert, it'll be interesting to see what happens with them. It's going to be an interesting few months, which is great." On 31 July 2024, Farnworth described more about his character: "He’s got a pretty amazing backstory. Obviously, half-brother to Victoria, which we find out quite quickly. But there's a whole lot of depth to him, and little bits just kind of coming out now, but it’s been a whirlwind. I’ve been here, there and everywhere. I’ve been on all the sets. We’ve been on location, been driving vans, been getting up to all sorts of mischief. So, it’s been absolutely brilliant." Farnworth also considered joining the cast of ''Emmerdale'' as a "fixture", as he grew up in Yorkshire, however Farnworth knows the history of the ''Sugden'' family, but had to "put it aside" because his character "initially has no knowledge of the Sugdens’ history in Emmerdale and he has no desire to be part of it."

Helen Fox

Helen Fox made her first appearance on 17 September 2024. She is the estranged mother of Ruby Fox-Miligan ( Beth Cordingly) who she hasn't seen in 30 years. She is played by Sharon Maughan. Helen's arrival has been described to expose Ruby and her husband Caleb Miligan's ( William Ash) past. Speaking to ''Manchester Evening News'', Ash revealed that Helen and her husband cut Ruby out of their lives because they didn't approve of her relationship with Caleb, as he was from a care home and they thought he was "beneath" her. He explained: "They hated him because he’d come out of a care home, he didn’t have any family and thought he was beneath their daughter. So, Helen was really snobby and judgemental. Helen and Ruby’s dad gave Ruby an ultimatum. They basically said ‘look if you want to be with this boy then we don’t want anything to do with you’. They basically just cut Ruby dead." Due to affect their potential reunion, Ash explained that Caleb does not trust Helen: "Because she’s been so manipulative and behaved terribly in the past, he just doesn’t trust anything that she’d ever say. He decides to go just to see what she actually wants – because if she is on her deathbed, then maybe Ruby does need some kind of closure and there's a potential for sorting it out. As it turns out, that’s not what happens…"

Ash spoke about working with Maughan: "She is an amazing actress because she only comes in for two episodes. We only had a day filming. We were doing all these intense scenes together in a hospital room, in a private hospital, just me and her going at each other really. She was amazing. It is hard to come into any show, to just do one day, and have lots of intense scenes. But she was fantastic and really a force of nature really." He also said how this meeting would make Ruby feel: "I think he knows that if she finds out he’s been to see Helen and he’s gone behind her back, she will be furious. There will be a real question of whether she can trust him ever again. The stakes are massive in that moment." Helen passed away on 18 September 2024. Maughan reprised the role of Helen for flashback scenes showing Ruby's past on 12 December 2024.

DS Foy

Detective Sergeant Foy, played by Robert Cavanah, is a police officer who is investigating Belle King's (Eden Taylor-Draper) attack on her husband, Thomas King (James Chase). He made his first appearance on 30 September 2024. This was Cavanah's second role in ''Emmerdale'' after playing Ian Chamberlain, a man that Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick