Emmerdale’s Anthony Fox (Nicholas Day) shared some unexpected health news with son-in-law Caleb Miligan (William Ash) on Tuesday.

Ruby Fox-Miligan’s (Beth Cordingly) estranged father arrived in the village towards the end of last year, and soon revealed he had terminal cancer.

However, the latest episode of the ITV soap saw Anthony informing Caleb of an update he’d just had from his oncologist.

He told of how his cancer had spread quicker than anticipated and had been given less time to live than he’d originally thought.

Caleb reeled from the news as Anthony asked him to keep it a secret from Ruby.

Anthony explained he wanted any attempt to repair their relationship to come from Ruby organically, not because of his prognosis.

But as fans know, Ruby has been hiding the fact Anthony had sexually abused her as a child.

Anthony Fox looks at his daughter Ruby Fox-Miligan in Emmerdale
Anthony abused Ruby as a child (Picture: ITV)
Their storyline looks set to take a huge turn in the coming weeks, as a New Year trailer for the soap revealed that Anthony may soon expose her affair with Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), and that she is having doubts over the parentage of daughter Steph (Georgia Jay).

Tuesday’s episode also saw Ruby go further in her attempts to bond with Steph, who she had been estranged from for a decade until her arrival in the village in November.

While Ruby was initially reluctant, the pair enjoyed some mother and daughter time at a local spa, and it seemed as if they were making headway in repairing their fractured relationship – but will it last?