Before ruffling feathers as Ruby Fox-Miligan in Emmerdale , Beth Cordingly was widely recognised for her role as PC Kerry Young in the iconic police series The Bill. The Bill boasted an impressively lengthy tenure on ITV, after debuting in 1983 and concluding in 2010. Cordingly became part of the cast in 2002, quickly winning over viewers' hearts.
However, her journey on the show came to a dramatic end after just two years when her character fell victim to the Sunhill Sniper. Kerry's enduring appeal even led to a dedicated hour-long spin-off titled Kerry's Story on ITV3. However, when fans encountered Cordingly outside of her on-screen appearances, their awkward remarks often focused on her physique.
"Back when I was on The Bill, the first thing people would say to me was 'you’re much thinner in real life,'" reflects Beth. The star pointed out that resilience is essential in the acting world: "But as an actor, you've got to have thick skin; you wouldn't survive otherwise." Having dealt with people-pleasing tendencies, Beth has fought to distance herself from societal expectations, particularly those imposed on women in showbiz.
“As an actor, you can feel it very strongly,” she asserted, reports the Mirror . At 48, Beth proudly lives in alignment with her true self, as she admitted: "I can be too loud or different, but I've realised I don't have to care so much about what people think of me - and, as it turns out, they actually like me." Post-The Bill days saw Cordingly .
