Emmerdale spoilers follow.

Emmerdale has aired an unexpected update on Anthony Fox after Ruby Miligan confessed to his murder.

Tonight’s episode picked up after Ruby’s shocking admission that she’d murdered her abusive father. She acted quickly after the police found a body in the lake, as she was convinced it was Anthony.

At the station, Ruby relayed the years of abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her dad when she was a teen and insisted she’d pushed him, causing him to hit his head.

Meanwhile, police officers showed up at the Miligans’ to ask Caleb and Steph if they could corroborate Ruby’s confession.

Related: Emmerdale star Beth Cordingly reveals how her original Ruby plan changed

DC Cole quizzed Steph about the missing person report she’d previously filed. She lied, saying she realised her grandfather was fine after he’d called her from Spain.

When DC Cole told Caleb they needed to locate Anthony to put the matter to bed, it became clear it wouldn’t take long for the police to realise what they’d done.

In the interrogation room, Ruby was surprised to find out the body in the lake wasn’t Anthony. Fans of the ITV soap know the body is actually Nate Robinson, who had been accidentally killed by John Sugden.

“The body we pulled out of the lake, it’s not Anthony Fox,” the detective told Ruby.

The solicitor pushed Ruby to convince the police she couldn’t differentiate between reality and fantasy, urging her to continue her act.

Related: Emmerdale‘s Kammy Hadiq sparks Home Farm theft drama

Still on the fence about whether to start searching other bodies of water for Anthony, the detective was informed the missing man had come forward in Spain.

“It appears your father has been found,” she told Ruby. “He’s made himself known to the authorities in Malaga.”

After Ruby was released from custody, she was picked up by Joe Tate.

Alerted by Steph, Joe had helped the Miligans using a contact in Spain to forge Anthony’s passport, pretending to be him with the local authorities.

Ruby got back home escorted by Joe, explaining what he’d done to get her out of such a sticky situation.

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“He got me released,” she told Caleb.

“I owe you, after what I took,” Joe told Caleb, referring to the kidney he’d taken from him.

“You and I are not so different,” Joe insisted, saying he and Caleb would do anything to protect their loved ones.

“He has saved us,” Ruby finally said.

Joe and Caleb then shook hands, silently agreeing to keep quiet about each other’s secrets.

As a huge weight was lifted off the Miligans’ shoulders thanks to Joe’s initiative, Tracy Robinson was about to receive a terrible update on her husband.

The episode ended with the police showing up at Tracy’s doorstep to break the news of Nate’s death.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.

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