# Georgia Jay
**Georgia Jay** is the professional name of the English actress Georgina Philipps (born 1992), known for playing Steph Miligan in the ITV soap opera *Emmerdale* since November 2024[1](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Georgia_Jay). Her earlier screen credits include the BBC/Netflix drama *Giri/Haji* (2019) and appearances in *Silent Witness*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5927184/). The name is shared by other public figures, including a British country singer and a New Zealand leather-goods label, covered at the end of this article.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Georgina Philipps, used professionally as Georgia Jay; born 1992[1](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Georgia_Jay) • [3](https://pressorbit.co.uk/business/georgia-jay-emmerdale-actress-facts/) |
| Breakout role | Steph Miligan in *Emmerdale*, first appearing on screen on 15 November 2024[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1446133/emmerdale-steph-miligan) |
| *Emmerdale* run | 84 credited episodes, 2024 to 2025[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5927184/) |
| Other credits | *Giri/Haji* (2019, as Diane Vickers), *Silent Witness* (as Camilla), *The Hack* (2025, as Sienna Miller)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5927184/) |
| Family milestone | Announced pregnancy in June 2025; daughter Nora born 2026[1](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Georgia_Jay) • [5](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/soaps/emmerdale-shock-georgia-jay-quits-steph-miligan-role-after-baby-news/) |
| *Emmerdale* status | Departed on screen on 7 August 2025 on maternity leave; a 2026 report said she would not return[6](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Steph_Miligan) |
## Steph Miligan in Emmerdale
Jay joined *Emmerdale*, a long-running ITV soap set in a [Yorkshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/yorkshire) village, as Steph Miligan, the daughter of established characters Caleb Miligan and Ruby Fox-Miligan[3](https://pressorbit.co.uk/business/georgia-jay-emmerdale-actress-facts/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1446133/emmerdale-steph-miligan). Her first episode aired on 15 November 2024[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1446133/emmerdale-steph-miligan). Steph was raised believing Caleb was her father, but in January 2025 the story revealed that Ruby's father, Anthony Fox, was also Steph's biological father[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1446133/emmerdale-steph-miligan). The character's storyline, which left her struggling with her identity and self-worth after learning she was the product of sexual abuse, made Jay a fan favorite[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/english/emmerdale-star-georgia-jay-exits-the-show-after-welcoming-baby-girl-storyline-explains-steph-miligans-absence/amp_articleshow/131540065.cms).
On screen, Steph and Beth Cordingly, who plays Ruby, appear as mother and daughter, but the two actresses are not related in real life[8](https://opiniondesk.uk/blog/georgia-jay-real-name-baby-exit/).
## The 2025 departure and aftermath
Jay announced her pregnancy in June 2025 in a social media video with co-stars [Bradley Riches](https://www.edgepedia.org/bradley-riches), who plays Lewis Barton, and Beth Cordingly[1](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Georgia_Jay). Her character left the village on screen on 7 August 2025, with the departure written into the story as Steph seeking a fresh start amid personal struggles; the actress herself went on maternity leave[6](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Steph_Miligan) • [7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/english/emmerdale-star-georgia-jay-exits-the-show-after-welcoming-baby-girl-storyline-explains-steph-miligans-absence/amp_articleshow/131540065.cms).
Her return status became a matter of conflicting reports. In April 2026, *The Sun* reported that Jay would not return to *Emmerdale* because she wanted to focus on being a mother[6](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Steph_Miligan), while an earlier account in the Times of India described her step away from the soap as temporary[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/english/emmerdale-star-georgia-jay-exits-the-show-after-welcoming-baby-girl-storyline-explains-steph-miligans-absence/amp_articleshow/131540065.cms).
**Personal life.** Jay confirmed the birth of her daughter, Nora, in January 2026, posting a photograph on Instagram[5](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/soaps/emmerdale-shock-georgia-jay-quits-steph-miligan-role-after-baby-news/). She keeps other personal details private; her exact age and birthplace, marital status, and whether she has a twin sister are not established in available reporting[8](https://opiniondesk.uk/blog/georgia-jay-real-name-baby-exit/).
## Other screen work
Before *Emmerdale*, Jay's first credited acting role came in the 2019 BBC drama *Giri/Haji*, in which she played Diane Vickers[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5927184/) • [8](https://opiniondesk.uk/blog/georgia-jay-real-name-baby-exit/). She appeared as Camilla in an episode of the forensic crime series *Silent Witness* in 2025[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5927184/) and also appeared in the drama *Glow & Darkness*[1](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Georgia_Jay).
While on maternity leave from *Emmerdale*, she appeared in ITV's seven-part drama *The Hack*, which began airing on 24 September 2025 and dramatizes the phone hacking scandal at *The News of the World*. Jay plays the American-British actress [Sienna Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/sienna-miller), one of the scandal's victims, and described taking part in the series as a "privilege" on Instagram[9](https://www.tvguide.co.uk/articles/first-look-at-georgia-jay-in-prime-time-drama-after-steph-exit-from-emmerdale-emmerdale-47215/).
## Other people and brands named Georgia Jay
Two unrelated namesakes share the name. A British country singer performing as **Georgia Jay** began her music career with the debut single "Million Pieces," released in March 2022, and has since released the full-length album *I'm Over You*; she records with producer Tim Hamill[10](https://georgiajay.co.uk/). Separately, **Georgia Jay** is a New Zealand accessories label founded in 2015 by designer Georgia Davison, known for soft leather handbags; Davison studied fashion at the [University of Otago](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-otago) and began the label by making one-off bags for friends[11](https://fq.co.nz/friday-muse-georgia-jay/).
## References
1. [Georgia Jay, Emmerdale Wiki (Fandom)](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Georgia_Jay)
2. [Georgia Jay, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5927184/)
3. [Georgia Jay – Emmerdale Actress Real Name Twin Baby, Pressorbit](https://pressorbit.co.uk/business/georgia-jay-emmerdale-actress-facts/)
4. [Steph Miligan, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1446133/emmerdale-steph-miligan)
5. [Emmerdale shock as Georgia Jay 'quits' Steph Miligan role after baby news, Entertainment Daily](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/soaps/emmerdale-shock-georgia-jay-quits-steph-miligan-role-after-baby-news/)
6. [Steph Miligan, Emmerdale Wiki (Fandom)](https://emmerdale.fandom.com/wiki/Steph_Miligan)
7. [Emmerdale star Georgia Jay exits the show after welcoming baby girl, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/english/emmerdale-star-georgia-jay-exits-the-show-after-welcoming-baby-girl-storyline-explains-steph-miligans-absence/amp_articleshow/131540065.cms)
8. [Georgia Jay: Emmerdale Star's Real Name, Baby, Exit & Twin Sister, Opinion Desk](https://opiniondesk.uk/blog/georgia-jay-real-name-baby-exit/)
9. [First Look at Georgia Jay in prime time ITV drama The Hack after Steph exit from Emmerdale, TVGuide.co.uk](https://www.tvguide.co.uk/articles/first-look-at-georgia-jay-in-prime-time-drama-after-steph-exit-from-emmerdale-emmerdale-47215/)
10. [Georgia Jay, official music site](https://georgiajay.co.uk/)
11. [Meet our Friday Muse: founder of Georgia Jay, Georgia Davison, Fashion Quarterly](https://fq.co.nz/friday-muse-georgia-jay/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames I to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license