On 24 December 2003 Ruth returns to "Hollyoaks" village. She rekindles her relationship with Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) despite his marriage to Mandy Richardson (Sarah Jayne Dunn) and later becomes pregnant. She returns to London where she loses the baby. She later returns to the village and supports Tony when he is accused of beating Mandy. She's later discover that Dawn's brother Max Cunningham (Matt Littler) was the one who held the key for his sister affair with her father, causing her to not forgive him. Ruth returns on 5 August 2008 for the 'funeral' of Jack, unaware that the whole thing is an insurance scam, she tells her stepmother Frankie (Helen Pearson) she is engaged.