Emmerdale's Georgia Jay opens up on co-star's 'difficult' time on ITV soap
Nicholas Day, who played the role of Emmerdale's paedophile Anthony Fox, was reportedly shaken by his character's portrayal, as revealed by Georgia Jay.
The actor, known for his role as Detective Sergeant Michael Morley in ITV's Minder, joined the Emmerdale cast last November, playing Ruby Fox-Miligan's (Beth Cordingly) father.
However, viewers were shocked when it was revealed that Anthony had sexually abused Ruby, resulting in the birth of Steph, who is unaware that Anthony is her biological father. When Anthony disappears from the village, Steph starts searching for answers and discovers the truth about her parentage.
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Despite fans eagerly awaiting Anthony's downfall, Georgia Jay suggests that Nicholas Day found the role challenging. Discussing her time on set with her on-screen grandfather, Georgia reveals they didn't have much chance to bond.
"It was so early on when he was filming all his stuff", she shares, "We were quite separate in a way, even though we had all the family stuff. He filmed all of his, people finding out about him, months ago. But he did an absolutely phenomenal job at it."
She then continues: "the only thing I could observe, even though it wasn’t spoken about, you know, how he did an incredible job but also how difficult it was for him, stepping into the mindset of someone like that and having to play someone like that. And that’s what I could observe and see. At times, it could be really, really difficult."
The dramatic storyline unfolded last week when Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), a survivor of child sex abuse, attacked Anthony after discovering his dark past. Aaron later returned to the scene with his boyfriend John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), only to find Anthony had died from his injuries.
However, in a shocking twist, John disposed of Anthony's body instead of seeking help. Unaware of her grandfather's fate, Steph is determined to uncover the truth.
As she digs deeper, she eventually discovers the disturbing reality in explosive scenes. This revelation has a profound impact on Steph's sense of identity and her relationships.
"She feels completely lost when she finds out – it shatters the foundation of her identity and leaves her questioning everything, about who she is and where she sits in the world. She feels betrayed, ashamed, angry and, at the same time, just in total despair for herself and her mother. She’s carrying the weight of her mother’s pain and trauma."
Georgia predicts a tough time ahead for Steph, explaining: "It’s going to be a really rocky road for Steph in terms of this whole identity being shattered. I think with anybody that finds out, it’s a trauma. Many sufferers go through PTSD and other forms of mental struggles and I think that Steph will go through a few of those."
However, she remains hopeful for the character's future, hinting at a fresh start for the Miligans. "I see this as the making of a true family because it’s all been built on a foundation of lies. It’ll be a long road but I do think they’ll build a family that’s really, really strong and built on trust."
