Emmerdale character abruptly flees village in secret after uncovering huge lie

There was a sad exit on Emmerdale on Thursday night as a heartbroken character fled the village in secret. Just a handful, or less, of people knew her abrupt plan to leave, a last-minute decision after a devastating discovery.

Out of nowhere, Steph Miligan announced her decision to take some time away from the village. She had just learned about her on/off partner Ross Barton's brief fling with Manpreet Sharma while they weren't together.

The fact he'd lied to her about there being no one else during the break from their romance left her heartbroken and unable to trust him. It comes after Steph actress Georgia Jay announced her pregnancy with it reported she would be making a temporary exit from the ITV soap as she heads off on maternity leave.

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During Thursday's hour-long episode, Steph was trying to get past the betrayal she had learned the day before. She'd just reunited with ex Ross after months apart, with them both stating they were official.

So when Ruby Miligan found out her daughter's flame had slept with GP Manpreet just weeks ago she was appalled. For Steph it wasn't the fact he'd slept with someone so soon after they took some time out, but the fact he had lied to her face.

Steph shared how she'd asked Ross to be honest with her about anyone he was with before their reunion, and he kept the fling from her. So to find out in a café full of people that Ross had jumped into bed with someone else and then lied about it left her disgusted.

On Thursday he pleaded with her to forgive him but she was having none of it. She then confided in her parents Ruby and Caleb about her plan to go abroad and get some time away.

Of course the plot was to spark the departure of actress Georgia for her maternity leave. The character declared she was going to be away for a while and gave no indication of when she might be back.

She hinted she could go travelling for months, and Caleb and Ruby, while gutted having just gotten her back, helped her pack up her things. A taxi pulled up, and Steph said her goodbyes to her parents, telling them she loved them.

Ross came speeding over in an attempt to stop her from leaving the village but it was all too little too late. Steph got into the car and was driven away to the airport, as her parents waved her off, with a gutted Ross, having only just learned she was leaving seconds earlier, watched on.

Lewis Barton knew about her planned exit, and was the one who told Ross. Asides that, Steph appeared to only tell her parents about it, meaning no one in the village knew what was unfolding.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and Threads.