knows only too well after being kneed in the groin when he upset his sister-in-law.

Beth Cordingly told us that Ruby’s antics even shock her sometimes.

‘It’s definitely not how to make friends and influence people. That is not a life skill she’s learned!’ she laughed. ‘It’s quite frustrating when you get the scripts because you just think, “Oh my God, she’s just rude to everybody.”

‘You have to find your own logic through it to understand. The only way I can see it is that it seems with her that her best form of defence is attack. She’s very impulsive and spontaneous, she seems to speak and act without thinking. Ruby just reacts to stuff very fierily and then is quite often full of regret afterwards.’

Ruby faces another challenge after Tracy and Caleb’s affair

In upcoming episodes Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter) becomes the focus of Ruby’s anger and sparks fly. Previously there hasn’t been bad feeling between Ruby and Nate because, like Ruby, he’s one of the people who’s been hurt by Caleb (William Ash) and Tracy (Amy Walsh)’s affair.

Beth described what happens to sour things between them.

‘It comes from Nate first. Nate’s in a bad mood, understandably cross at the world and he says some stuff to me and Nicky (Lewis Cope). He actually is rude to Nicky and he starts saying, “You two just do anything that Caleb asks you to” and says I’m a little lapdog and does a little impression of “Here doggy, here doggy” and all this, which p****s me off. Then he’s rude to Nicky and brings up his past with what Caleb made him do to Gabby.’

This is more than enough for Ruby, who gives him both barrels.

‘This is a classic Ruby trait in that she just goes all Sopranos,’ Beth revealed. ‘She totally goes for Nate and, as always, goes too far. She starts insulting him and saying there’s obviously a reason why Tracy did what she did – “What weren’t you giving her?” and all this kind of thing. Poor old Nate!’

This incident doesn’t go down well with Caleb when he finds out, Beth told us. ‘Nate goes off to the pub and Caleb walks in and Nate says “I don’t know who’s worse, you or your wife,” and how awful we both are.

‘Caleb’s reaction is “Oh my God, what’s she done now?” From his point of view every time he makes steps forward I mess it up. We’re sort of stuck in that cycle a bit. Then he comes back and he’s really annoyed with me about what happened.’

Viewers have really taken Ruby to their hearts since she first appeared in January this year. She’s a character who isn’t afraid to say what most people would just think to themselves and some of her lines are hilarious, but underlying it is a huge love for her husband and son and the willingness to do whatever it might take to keep her family together.

As for Beth, she’s loving playing Ruby. ‘She’s brilliant,’ she said.

‘She’s bonkers! It’s always fun to play someone a bit wild.’