Anna Shaffer

Ruby Button is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Anna Shaffer. Shaffer's casting was announced in December 2010 and it was revealed that Ruby would be introduced as the sister of Duncan Button (Dean Aspen). Shaffer originally auditioned for the role of Leanne Holiday, in which she was not successful. Shaffer began filming her scenes in late 2010 and relocated to Liverpool for filming. Ruby made her first appearance in the episode broadcast on 3 January 2011. In October 2013, it was announced that Shaffer had quit the role and would leave in February 2014. Ruby was initially described as "sneaky" and likely to cause mayhem at Duncan's expense. Ruby is a tearaway and "occupies herself with tormenting others" including her best friend, Esther Bloom (Jazmine Franks). Ruby is illiterate and the official Hollyoaks website describe this as her "Achilles heel". However, Ruby does not let her illiteracy stop her causing trouble. The character has also been called a "bitchy schoolgirl" and sharp-tongued. Series producer, Emma Smithwick, said she wants the character of Ruby to be "more full and not two-dimensional". Ruby's storylines have often focused on her various relationships and "bitchy" ways. Ruby engages in a brief relationship with Duncan's best friend, Ricky Campbell (Ashley Margolis), which ends when Ricky sees Ruby bullying others. Ruby also becomes best friends with Esther and Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis). A prominent storyline for Ruby saw her reveal her illiteracy and subsequently develop feelings for her tutor, Pete Hamill (Peter Mitchell). Ruby's behaviour soon begins to "spiral out of control" and she claims to have had sex with older man, Riley Costello (Rob Norbury). She later embarks on a relationships with Jono (Dylan Llewellyn) and Ziggy Roscoe (Fabrizio Santino), and becomes embroiled in the bullying of Esther as well as suffering a heart attack.