Emmerdale star Beth Cordingly has captivated viewers with her emotionally charged portrayal of Ruby Milligan, a character whose life in the Dales has been defined by secrets, trauma,

and turbulent relationships. Yet while Ruby’s world on screen is riddled with pain and betrayal, Beth’s real life tells a very different—though no less poignant—story.

Behind the scenes, the actress has quietly built a loving, long-term relationship with a fellow soap star, one marked by deep understanding, shared sacrifice, and a rarely discussed emotional truth about life in the industry.

Beth Cordingly joined Emmerdale in 2024, arriving as Ruby Milligan, the wife of Caleb Milligan (played by William Ash). From the moment she stepped into the village, Ruby made waves. Sharp-tongued, guarded, and emotionally complex, she was never meant to be a background character. Within months, Ruby became central to some of the show’s most distressing and powerful storylines, cementing Beth as one of the soap’s standout performers.

Later that same year, Ruby’s narrative took a devastating turn when a historic child abuse storyline revealed the horrific truth about her father, Anthony Fox. The plot sent shockwaves through the village and viewers alike, as Ruby was forced to confront long-buried trauma that shaped every aspect of her adult life. The emotional fallout only deepened when Ruby discovered that her daughter, Steph, was in fact Anthony’s biological child—a revelation that threatened to destroy what little stability Ruby had managed to build.

Although Caleb ultimately stood by Ruby, pledging to protect their family, the damage was profound. The storyline explored shame, survival, and the lasting scars of abuse with unflinching honesty, and Beth’s performance was widely praised for its restraint and raw emotional depth. As if that weren’t enough, Ruby later found herself embroiled in further scandal through a brief affair with her brother-in-law Cain Dingle, pushing family tensions to breaking point before tentative reconciliation followed.

Yet while Ruby’s life in the Dales has been defined by chaos, Beth Cordingly’s personal world is far calmer—anchored by a relationship that has quietly flourished away from the spotlight.

Away from the cameras, Beth is in a long-term relationship with actor Ian Kelsey, a familiar face to soap fans in his own right. Ian previously starred in Emmerdale as Dave Glover from 1994 until his character’s tragic death in 1997, and later appeared in Coronation Street as Vinny Ashford between 2016 and 2017. His career also spans a wide range of acclaimed dramas, including Wuthering Heights, Innocent, The Suspect, Moving On, and Where the Heart Is.

Beth, now 49, and Ian, 59, reportedly knew each other for more than two decades before their relationship turned romantic in 2021. Their shared history in the industry laid the foundation for a bond built on empathy and mutual respect—something Beth has described as essential in a profession that demands long hours, emotional intensity, and frequent time apart.

In previous interviews, Beth has spoken candidly about the reality of loving another actor, revealing what many fans now see as the “heartbreaking secret” behind their relationship: the constant separation and sacrifices required by the job. Filming schedules, location shoots, and demanding storylines often mean weeks—or even months—away from home, a reality that can strain even the strongest partnerships.

“I am very in love with Ian and very happy,” Beth once shared in an interview. “I think it really does work, him being an actor too. He has been so fantastic. There is that thing as an actor where you are always taken away from home, but he totally gets it.”

That understanding, she explained, has been crucial. Ian knows the pressures of the industry intimately, from the emotional toll of heavy storylines to the unpredictability of filming schedules. He also knows many of the crew and cast Beth works with, allowing her to share her experiences without needing to explain the unexplainable.

For Beth, that level of emotional support has been transformative—particularly during periods when her on-screen work delves into harrowing subject matter. While Ruby Milligan’s pain is fictional, portraying it convincingly requires Beth to access deeply emotional places, something she has acknowledged can linger long after the cameras stop rolling.

Despite valuing her privacy, Beth occasionally offers fans a glimpse into her personal happiness through social media. Last December, she shared a touching video of herself serenading Ian on his birthday after traveling several hours just to celebrate with him. The post, playful and affectionate, carried a caption that blended humor with devotion, making it clear how much effort she was willing to make to be by his side.

In another post, Beth shared a candid photograph of Ian accompanied by a simple caption and a white heart—an understated but powerful symbol of affection. Fans quickly flooded the comments with messages of support, describing the couple as “adorable,” “inspiring,” and “perfect together.”

For many viewers, the contrast between Ruby Milligan’s turbulent on-screen life and Beth Cordingly’s grounded, loving real-world relationship is striking. It serves as a reminder that behind some of soap’s darkest storylines are actors who rely on stability, love, and understanding to do their work authentically.

As Emmerdale continues to explore Ruby’s complicated journey, Beth’s performance remains one of the show’s emotional pillars. And while Ruby battles her demons in the Dales, Beth returns home to a relationship shaped by patience, shared experience, and an unspoken resilience forged through years in the spotlight.

It may not be a secret filled with scandal—but in an industry where relationships often crumble under pressure, the quiet strength of Beth Cordingly and Ian Kelsey’s love story is both rare and deeply moving.