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Shortland Street



 
 
Shortland Street is a New Zealand
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous Islands of New Zealand, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands....
 soap opera
Soap opera

A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in Serial format on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap....
 and drama
Drama

Drama is the specific Mode of fiction Mimesis in performance. The term comes from a Ancient Greek word meaning "Action " , which is derived from "to do" ....
 television series that was first broadcast on Monday, 25 May 1992. The show is set in a modern metropolitan hospital in the fictional suburb of Ferndale
Ferndale, New Zealand

Ferndale is the fictitious Auckland City suburb in which the Television New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street takes place....
 in Auckland City
Auckland City

Auckland City is the city and Territorial Authorities of New Zealand covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand....
, and is produced by South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures

South Pacific Pictures is a television production company based in New Zealand. The company produces drama series, mini-series, telemovies and feature films for the domestic market and international market....
. In New Zealand, the show screens on Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand

Television New Zealand is a state-owned television broadcasting corporation in New Zealand....
's TV2 weeknights, with an omnibus edition on Sunday mornings and repeats on weekday afternoons.

There is a real Shortland Street in Auckland City, but the series is set in an outlying, imaginary suburb rather than the central business district
CBD

CBD is a common abbreviation for a central business district. It may also refer to:* Brazilian Sport Confederation, from 1919 to 1979 predecessor of Brazilian Football Confederation, the national governing body for football in Brazil...
 where the real street is located.

Setting
Shortland Street is mainly set in and around Shortland Street Hospital, a fictitious Auckland City
Auckland City

Auckland City is the city and Territorial Authorities of New Zealand covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand....
 public hospital (which had been a private clinic until 2001 when it was sold to the government by Dr Warner).






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Encyclopedia


Shortland Street is a New Zealand
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous Islands of New Zealand, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands....
 soap opera
Soap opera

A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in Serial format on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap....
 and drama
Drama

Drama is the specific Mode of fiction Mimesis in performance. The term comes from a Ancient Greek word meaning "Action " , which is derived from "to do" ....
 television series that was first broadcast on Monday, 25 May 1992. The show is set in a modern metropolitan hospital in the fictional suburb of Ferndale
Ferndale, New Zealand

Ferndale is the fictitious Auckland City suburb in which the Television New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street takes place....
 in Auckland City
Auckland City

Auckland City is the city and Territorial Authorities of New Zealand covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand....
, and is produced by South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures

South Pacific Pictures is a television production company based in New Zealand. The company produces drama series, mini-series, telemovies and feature films for the domestic market and international market....
. In New Zealand, the show screens on Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand

Television New Zealand is a state-owned television broadcasting corporation in New Zealand....
's TV2 weeknights, with an omnibus edition on Sunday mornings and repeats on weekday afternoons.

There is a real Shortland Street in Auckland City, but the series is set in an outlying, imaginary suburb rather than the central business district
CBD

CBD is a common abbreviation for a central business district. It may also refer to:* Brazilian Sport Confederation, from 1919 to 1979 predecessor of Brazilian Football Confederation, the national governing body for football in Brazil...
 where the real street is located.

Setting


Shortland Street is mainly set in and around Shortland Street Hospital, a fictitious Auckland City
Auckland City

Auckland City is the city and Territorial Authorities of New Zealand covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand....
 public hospital (which had been a private clinic until 2001 when it was sold to the government by Dr Warner). The hospital gets its name from its location on Shortland Street in the fictitious suburb of Ferndale
Ferndale, New Zealand

Ferndale is the fictitious Auckland City suburb in which the Television New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street takes place....
. The hospital also houses the Shortland Street Primary Care Clinic, and its own cafe.

There are several other locations, including The IV, a bar
Bar (establishment)

A bar is a business that serves drinks, especially alcoholic beverages such as beer, liquor, and mixed drinks, for consumption on the premises....
 and restaurant
Restaurant

A restaurant prepares and serves food and drink to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery ....
, located opposite the hospital; Sugar, a cafe located somewhere in Ferndale; and Ferndale High School
Ferndale High School

Ferndale High School is by far the largest of three public secondary school in Ferndale, Washington,Washington. The others are Windward High School, a part of the Small Schools Project, and Clearview High School, an alternative high school....
, the local state secondary school
Secondary education in New Zealand

Secondary education in New Zealand takes up to five years, covering the ages 13 to 18, corresponding to the school years 9 to 13....
.

The exterior views of the houses featured on the programme are located around the North Shore, West Auckland and Auckland City - the interiors are filmed on sets in the studio. Camera angles suggest that Ferndale is somewhere on the North Shore looking towards the Sky Tower and port of Auckland. Other camera shots are views of Henderson and other parts of Auckland.

which constitutes about 17.5% of the domestic population.

In popular culture
Popular culture

Popular culture is the totality of Distinction memes, ideas, Perspective s and Attitude s that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture....
, Shortland Street is sometimes referred to as Shorty Street or Shorty. The show's famous name has been hinted at by TVNZ to be associated with the former Shortland Street television studios in the Auckland City CBD, a mainstay for TVNZ in Auckland until the end of the 1980s.

History

The original core characters were:
  • Dr Michael McKenna (Paul Gittins)
  • Dr Chris Warner (Michael Galvin)
  • Dr Meredith Fleming (Stephanie Wilkin)
  • Dr Hone Ropata (Temuera Morrison)
  • Nurse Carrie Burton (Lisa Crittenden)
  • Nurse Jackie Manu (Nancy Brunning)
  • Nurse Steve Mills (Andrew Binns)
  • Nurse Alison Raynor (Danielle Cormack)
  • Tom Neilson (Adrian Keeling)
  • Stuart Neilson (Martin Henderson)
  • Marjorie Neilson (Liz Mcrae)
  • Kirsty Knight (Angela Dotchin)
  • Jenny Harrison (Maggie Harper)
  • Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett)
  • Gina Rossi (Jo Davison)
  • Sam Aleni (Rene Naufahu)


1990s


The concept and format of the show was developed largely by NZ writer Ken Catran working with Fremantle Pictures. His scripts established the characters, setting and tone of the series. His first episode became infamous for having a sex scene between Doctor Chris Warner
Chris Warner

Chris Warner is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is portrayed by Michael Galvin. He is the only original character to still be on the show....
 and an aerobics instructor, Jill (Suzy Aiken
Suzy Aiken

Suzanne Elizabeth Clarkson is a New Zealand news presenter at Prime Television New Zealand.She has appeared in the NZ drama Shortland Street, and produced aerobic workout videos and co-authored the book "Healthy Body Healthy Mind"....
). The first episode also included the line, "You're not in Guatemala now, Dr. Ropata" which has since become one of the most widely recognised lines in New Zealand television.

While the show was initially criticised for bad acting and poor storylines, it was praised for its sensitive portrayal of a teenage suicide storyline later on in its first year. Ratings were initially high, but within weeks they had fallen considerably. However, the show was saved from cancellation by the fact that TVNZ had pre-ordered a year's worth of episodes. By May 1993, the show was rating high enough that it was renewed, and later became the highest rating programme in the country for a brief period in August 1994. Since then, ratings have fallen somewhat, but the show remains in the overall top 20 highest rated New Zealand television shows, and still regularly rates number one in the 18-49 demographic, the key target audience for advertisers.

Over the life of the series there have been many cast changes, but Michael Galvin
Michael Galvin

Michael Galvin is a well known New Zealand actor. He is best known for his role as Doctor Chris Warner on the soap opera Shortland Street. He is the only remaining original cast member on the show, appearing in the very first episode on May 25, 1992....
, who plays Chris Warner. still remains from the original cast.

2000s


In 2001, the show received much media attention in New Zealand when 14 cast members were either let go from their contracts or decided to leave. This was part of the revamp on the show which saw many new characters introduced, most notably the Hudson family, who were Maori
Maori

The Maori are the indigenous people Polynesian people of Aotearoa . The group probably arrived in south-western Polynesia in several waves at some time before 1300....
. While Maori characters had always been featured on the show, the Hudsons were the first Maori family introduced into the show.

In 2003–04, the show introduced its first double-killer with the Dominic Thompson storyline. Dominic was the brother of nurse Toni Thompson and was believed to be the illegitimate half-brother of Dr. Chris Warner, but after this was revealed as a lie, the pair became bitter enemies. Dominic's love affair with 17-year-old Delphi Greenlaw also created controversy and eventually saw the teenager leave town to escape him. He also killed two characters, Delphi's brother, Dr. Geoff Greenlaw (froze to death in chiller) and PA Avril Lucich (drowned in a bathtub) who had threatened to get in his way, before being killed off himself in an explosion after trying to kill Chris in an attempted murder-suicide. The storyline created immense popularity that saw the show ranked once again in the top ten highest rated shows in New Zealand. Martin Delaney
Martin Delaney

Martin Delaney may refer to:* Martin Delaney , HIV/AIDS treatment advocate* Martin Delaney , British actor* Martin Delany, African-American abolitionist...
 also joined the cast as Samuel Whittaker for a brief period. The Irish actor played the loveable Scottish chef for a period of six months and left Delphi in search of broader horizons.

2005 saw the departure of the show's longest-serving cast member, Karl Burnett
Karl Burnett

Karl Burnett is a New Zealand actor born February 27 1976 best known for his portrayal of Nick Harrison on the long-running New Zealand soap, Shortland Street....
, who played Nick Harrison, after almost 13 years. Burnett was the only cast member who had been with the show since its inception (although the character and the actor did take a sabbatical from the show in 2002). However, Burnett still has links with Shortland Street, behind the scenes as a sound operator. Michael Galvin
Michael Galvin

Michael Galvin is a well known New Zealand actor. He is best known for his role as Doctor Chris Warner on the soap opera Shortland Street. He is the only remaining original cast member on the show, appearing in the very first episode on May 25, 1992....
 also has been on the show since the beginning, with his character leaving for four years (1996 to 2000).

During June 2006, Shortland Street celebrated its 14th birthday and 3,500 episodes. In November 2005, Shortland Street was the winner of Woman's Day TV Choice Award for Favourite New Zealand show at the 2005 Qantas TV Awards. They won the same award again in the 2006 Qantas TV Awards.

On 22 November 2006 it was announced that actress Laurie Foell
Laurie Foell

Laurie Foell is an Australia actress. She is best known for her portrayal of both Angie Russell and her cousin Josie Russell , on the successful Australian television soap opera Home and Away....
 had decided to leave and that her character Justine Jones
Justine Jones

Justine Jones is a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. Justine was originally played by Laurie Foell from 2005 to 2006, but was replaced by Lucy Wigmore in 2007....
 would be recast with Lucy Wigmore. This marked the first instance of multiple actors playing the same role in the programme, excluding child characters such as Lucas Harrison and Harry Warner. Another character that was recast was Dame Margot Warner who was first played by Glynis McNicoll during 1992-1997, then in 2003 Dinah Priestly assumed the role of Dame Margot for the character's death.

Shortland Street celebrated its 15th birthday in May 2007. As a result there were many changes that have occurred such as a refurbished hospital, new uniforms, and a new logo. A television special celebrating 15 years was screened on 13 May 2007, and on Shortland Street's actual 15th birthday (25 May 2007), the episode featured photos of previous characters and settings, which "were found in the renovations", and a reworded edition of the infamous line from the first Shortland Street episode: "You're not in Hyderabad now, Nurse Kumari." (referring to Nurse Shanti Kumari's Hindu origins and reluctance to drink alcohol).

Storylines

Storylines are planned five months before they are due to be screened. Shortland Street has had a series of dramatic and scandalous storylines over the years

The most significant storylines over the past few years have included the corrupt pharmacitical company Scott-Spear and their invovlment in the murders of CEO Huia Samuels who was killed in a car bombing and long-serving character Dr. Craig Valentine who was beaten to death by thugs and placed in his car which was torched. The dodgy drug company was also responsible for the death of another long-standing character, Toni Warner
Toni Warner

Toni Warner was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Laura Hill from 2001 until 2008....
 who died as a result of renal failure, contributed to a drug distributed by Scott-Spear. The storyline eventually saw the departure of Dr. Justine Jones
Justine Jones

Justine Jones is a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. Justine was originally played by Laurie Foell from 2005 to 2006, but was replaced by Lucy Wigmore in 2007....
 who used a bomb placed in her car to fake her death and flee to Australia where she is currently in witness protection
Witness protection

Witness protection is protection of a threatened witness, before, during and after a trial , usually by police. While a witness may only require protection until the conclusion of a trial, some witnesses are provided with new Identity creation and may live out the rest of their lives under government protection....
.

A serial killer known as the Ferndale Strangler was introduced in 2007 became a well-known storyline as five women associated with the Shortland Street Hospital became his victims. The killer's identify was revealed in the season's finale as nurse Joey Henderson
Joey Henderson

Joseph James "Joey" Henderson was a fictional Fictional character on New Zealand's longest running soap opera Shortland Street, and was the soap's first serial killer....
 as he set about attacking Tania Jeffries. Other attacks on his female colleagues failed including a random attack on a woman walk in a park. Joey's final abduction involved nurse Alice Piper on whom he performed surgery and then tried to kill. The strangler's reign came to end at the start of 2008 when he committed suicide by plunging to death from a storage building he had used for his macabre operation. The storyline resulted in a viewership rating surge, which at one point in November reached 60%.[3]..

Episode 4000 saw the return of series original Dr. Hone Ropata for a six week stint.

Midway through 2008 Ethan Pierce joined Justine Jone's surgical team but soon replaced her when she was put under police protection. Pierce was appointed Head of Surgery by Callum McKay against the advice of Chris Warner. Ethan's hostile relationship with Brooke Freeman was not known as he set about to date Alice Piper. Ethan was overconfident as a surgeon which lead to him falling out with his theatre team. On several occasion Chris Warner was called in to continue an operation he wasn't able to complete. Ethan detested Maia which resulted in her attack on him and her being stood down from duty. The hospital were unaware that Ethan Pierce was harvesting bone tissue from cadavers in a funeral home, this was inadvertently discovered by Keiran Mitchell who like Callum McKay had bought shares in Pierce's company. Pierce forced Mitchell to drive an elderly woman to the funeral home on the premise that she was to view to her husband unware that Pierce had killed her. Several patients became ill due to faulty bone tissue among them a child and Yvonne Jeffries which lead to an investigation of Pierce's company. As the series finale drew to a close Pierce walked out of surgery, punched Callum McKay and headed to the funeral home where he killed his associate. Ethan went home packed his bags and was confronted by a then unseen assailant. The Who shot Ethan Pierce? storyline leads viewers into the new 2009 season, which premieres on January 19 2009. To keep viewers interested in the storyline during the summer hiatus, TVNZ created a imaginary website dedicated to finding Ethan Pierce's killer: . On this site, Webisodes featuring never before seen interviews are uploaded on certain days of possible suspects and the audience are again left to decide who Ethan's killer is. Photo evidence has also been uploaded of Ethan's Beach Road home where he was murdered, the gun and blood on the floor of his home where he fell to his death, and where Ethan's body ended up (Ethan's body was not found inside his home, After being shot, he stumbled out to the beach not far from his home). When the series recommenced seven people came under police observation. On 29 January Alice Piper discovered Maia Jeffries was the assailant after she had undergone hypnosis.

Tania Jefferies and Kingi Te Wake were kidnapped by The Whitetails gang leader, Kane Harvey and made their escape as the series recommenced with Kingi heading to Australia.

Current characters


 

Main characters

|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
Character Actor Occupation Duration
Chris Warner
Chris Warner

Chris Warner is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is portrayed by Michael Galvin. He is the only original character to still be on the show....
Michael Galvin
Michael Galvin

Michael Galvin is a well known New Zealand actor. He is best known for his role as Doctor Chris Warner on the soap opera Shortland Street. He is the only remaining original cast member on the show, appearing in the very first episode on May 25, 1992....
Head of Special surgeon clinic - Former C.E.O1992 - 1996; 2000 - present
Kieran Mitchell
Kieran Mitchell

Kieran Mitchell is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, portrayed by English actor Adam Rickitt. He owns the The IV bar and restaurant....
Adam Rickitt
Adam Rickitt

Adam Peter Rickitt , is an England actor, former singer and Model ....
Owner The IV Restaurant & Bar2007 - present
Sarah PottsAmanda Billing
Amanda Billing

Amanda Billing is best known for her role as Doctor Sarah Potts on New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.In casting Amanda Billing as Dr Sarah Potts, Shortland Street producers are continuing the show's tradition of turning talented unknowns into stars....
former H.E.D.2004 - present
Callum McKay
Callum McKay

Callum McKay is a fictional character portrayed by actor Peter Mochrie in the Television New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is a doctor and the current CEO of Shortland Street Hospital....
Peter Mochrie
Peter Mochrie

Peter Mochrie has enjoyed great success as one of Australia's leading actors. In a career that spans over twenty-five years, he has appeared in many of Australias top rating television programs....
C.E.O.2006 - present
Tania JeffriesFaye Smythe
Faye Smythe

Faye Smythe is a New Zealand television actor, best known for her role in Shortland Street as Nurse Tania Jefferies.Smythe was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and immigrated to New Zealand with her family at the age of eleven....
Nurse2005 - present
Libby Jeffries
Libby Jeffries

Libby Jeffries is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street....
Fleur Saville
Fleur Saville

Fleur Saville in Auckland, NZ, is a New Zealand television actress best known for her roles in the television sitcoms Being Eve and The Tribe in which she became known to international audiences for her portrayal of Ruby....
Assistant to the C.E.O.2005; 2006 - present
Maia Jeffries
Maia Jeffries

Maia Jeffries is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.She is a nurse at Shortland Street Hospital. Her family moved from their quiet country orchard to the bustling environs of Ferndale when her father, Ian Jeffries was diagnosed with the debilitating Motor Neurone Disease....
Anna Jullienne
Anna Jullienne

Anna Jullienne is a New Zealand actress, who is best known for her role as Maia Jefferies in New Zealand's soap, Shortland Street. Maia is a beautiful and talented young nurse who happens to be a lesbian....
Charge Nurse2004 - present
Alice Piper
Alice Piper

Alice Piper is a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She is played by actor Toni Potter, and will do so until April 2009....
Toni Potter
Toni Potter

Toni Potter is a New Zealand actress, best known for her role on New Zealand medical drama Shortland Street....
Nurse2005 - present
Luke Durville
Luke Durville

Luke Durville is a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is played by Gerald Urquhart. He has a quiet manner and awkward demeanour, and has always been a bit of an enigma to his workmates....
Gerald Urquhart
Gerald Urquhart

Gerald Urquhart is an actor. He was born May 17, 1980. He is currently known for playing Flurious in Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive. He also plays Doctor Luke Durville, an anaesthetist on Shortland Street, a man with a passion for taxidermy....
Anaesthetist2007, 2008 - present
Kip Denton
Kip Denton

Kip Denton is a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.He is a doctor at Shortland Street Hospital, who had filled in for Dr....
Will HallDoctor Acting Head of Emergency Department2007 - present
TK Samuels
TK Samuels

Te Koha Samuels is a fictional character in New Zealand's longest running soap opera Shortland Street, played by actor Benjamin Mitchell since 2005....
Benjamin Mitchell
Benjamin Mitchell

Benjamin Mitchell , isbest known for his role as TK Samuels in the soap opera Shortland Street....
G.P. Primary Care Clinic2006 - present
James "Scotty" Scott
James Scott (character)

James "Scotty" Scott is a fictional Fictional character on New Zealand's longest running soap opera Shortland Street and has been portrayed by Kiel McNaughton since Mid 2006....
Kiel McNaughtonNursing Manager2007 - present
Shanti Kumari
Shanti Kumari

Shanti Kumari is a fictional character on the soap opera Shortland Street, and is played by Nisha Madhan.She works as the Nurse at Shortland Street Hospital and oversighted Maia Jeffries's department when she took maternity leave....
Nisha MadhanNurse2007 - present
Gerald Tippett
Gerald Tippett

Gerald Heathcliff Tippett is a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.He is the receptionist at Shortland Street Hospital and lives at El Rancho with Kieran Mitchell and Libby Jeffries....
Harry McNaughtonReceptionist2007 - present
Morgan Braithwaite
Morgan Braithwaite

Morgan Braithwaite is a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She has been portrayed by Bonnie Soper since February 5, 2008....
Bonnie Soper
Bonnie Soper

Bonnie Soper is a New Zealand film and television actor....
Theatre Nurse2007 - present
Hunter McKay
Hunter McKay

Hunter McKay is a fictional character in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He is portrayed by Lee Donoghue....
Lee DonoghueWaiter and Barman The IV Restaurant & Bar2006 - present
Sophie McKay
Sophie McKay

Sophie McKay is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street....
Kimberley Crossman
Kimberley Crossman

Kimberley Crossman is a New Zealand actress, dancer and cheerleader who is best known for her role as Sophie McKay on New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street....
Student Ferndale High School
Ferndale High School

Ferndale High School is by far the largest of three public secondary school in Ferndale, Washington,Washington. The others are Windward High School, a part of the Small Schools Project, and Clearview High School, an alternative high school....
2006 - present
Brooke Freeman
Brooke Freeman (character)

Brooke Freeman is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, portrayed by Beth Allen since 2008....
Beth Allen
Beth Allen

Elizabeth Allen has been acting since an early age and has appeared in several small productions and commercials since 1993. Her first major role was in Cloud 9's The Legend of William Tell in 1998, where she played "Princess Vara"....
G.P. Primary Care Clinic2008 - present
Tracey MorrisonSarah Thomson
Sarah Thomson

Sarah Thomson is a New Zealand actress who is known for playing roles in two series of the Power Rangers franchise and for her role in New Zealand's longest running soap opera, Shortland Street....
Nurse2007; 2008 - present
Yvonne JefferiesAlison QuiganReceptionist2004; 2005 - present
Xavier MoyoBrian ManthengaA surgeon in Chris Warner's surgical unit
assisting in Emergency Department
2008 - "present"


Recurring characters

Character Actor Relation Duration
Carol BeckhamRobyn WorthingtonLong-serving Senior Nurse2001 - present
Harry WarnerHenry Williams
Henry Williams

United States* Henry Williams : Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts in the 1840s* Henry Williams , pastor of Gillfield Baptist Church, Virginia and elected to Petersburg, VA City Council during Reconstruction...
Son of Chris Warner
Chris Warner

Chris Warner is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is portrayed by Michael Galvin. He is the only original character to still be on the show....
 and the late Toni Warner
Toni Warner

Toni Warner was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Laura Hill from 2001 until 2008....
2004 - present
Jay JeffriesLiam FarmerSon of Maia Jeffries
Maia Jeffries

Maia Jeffries is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.She is a nurse at Shortland Street Hospital. Her family moved from their quiet country orchard to the bustling environs of Ferndale when her father, Ian Jeffries was diagnosed with the debilitating Motor Neurone Disease....
2008 - present
Fraser McKenziePeter Daube
Peter Daube

Peter Daube is a New Zealand actor and voice actor. Two of his better-known roles to date are that of Ozul in Maddigan's Quest, and the voice of Sculpin in Power Rangers: Mystic Force....
Lawyer who befriends Yvonne2008 - present
Tane SamuelsDominic Ona-ArikiTrainee nurse 2008 - present
Ingrid CampbellMadeline Lynch Acting H.O.D of Surgery. 2008 - present
Nigel TippettRoy Ward Gerald's Dad. Manager of the IV
Tai ScottXavier Horanthe delinquent brother of James Scott 2008 - present


Returning and new characters

Character Actor Appointment
Gabrielle JacobsVirginie Le Brunstraight shooting surgeon


Production

Shortland Street is produced by South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures

South Pacific Pictures is a television production company based in New Zealand. The company produces drama series, mini-series, telemovies and feature films for the domestic market and international market....
, with assistance from FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia

FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of RTL Group, Europe's largest TV, radio, and production company. Its world headquarters are located in London, United Kingdom....
 and Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand

Television New Zealand is a state-owned television broadcasting corporation in New Zealand....
. In the first few years, the production was also assisted by New Zealand on Air
New Zealand On Air

New Zealand On Air is a Government broadcast funding agency in New Zealand. NZ On Air is responsible for the funding of public good broadcasting and pays for National Radio and Concert FM to record and broadcast NZ music and funds access radio stations who carry specialist NZ music shows....
.

Writing

The first scripts and show format were devised and developed by Ken Catran
Ken Catran

Ken Catran is a children's writer and scriptwriter from New Zealand. He is the author of many teen novels, including Taken at the Flood, Voyage with Jason, Doomfire on Venus, Space Wolf, Talking to Blue and its sequel Blue Murder....
 who wrote the pilot (and other) episodes.

Today the writing team includes at least one medical advisor, for help with medical terms and procedures.

Every few months, the writers map out the storylines for the coming months. These storylines form the basis of the action on-screen.

With the amount of paper required, Shortland Street was once New Zealand's biggest paper user after the government.

Filming

Today, most of the filming for Shortland Street occurs at South Pacific Pictures Waitakere City studios, with Ferndale High School scenes being filmed at the nearby Waitakere College. The exterior shots of the North Shore Hospital is Central Hospital which is the other hospital mentioned in the series as the place where patients are sent. Location scenes are usually filmed in Auckland, but other locations, including Fiji
Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands , is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu....
, have been used.

Originally, Shortland Street was filmed in North Shore City at South Pacific Pictures Browns Bay studios until their relocation to purpose built studios in Waitakere City in 2000. The original Ferndale High School was played by a North Shore college until the studio relocated.

Also behind the scenes

  • Jason Daniel departed as producer at the end of 2008, he had overseen the 2007 Ferndale Strangler storyline which saw a surge in the ratings to over 60%.
  • Katherine McRae (who played murdered nurse Brenda Holloway) has become a Shortland Street full-time director
  • Renato Barlotomei who played Dr Craig Valentine retained his off-screen status of Director.


International screenings

ITV scheduling of Shortland Street
Shortland Street has been shown in Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 on RTE One
RTÉ One

RT? One is Republic of Ireland's oldest and most popular television channel, operated by Irish state broadcaster Radio Telef?s ?ireann. RT? One is almost universally available on the Very high frequency and Ultra high frequency bands on the island of Ireland , and is available on the Sky Digital satellite service in both the Republic of Ire...
 since 1996. It is broadcast in a morning slot usually around 11:30am and repeated late-night at around 2:30am.

In the UK Shortland Street is no longer shown, but was screened in various areas for a lengthy period from 1993.

From 29 March 1993, Central Television were the first ITV
ITV

ITV is a public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television network of British television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC....
 region to screen the soap, beginning in an afternoon timeslot, 1520-1550. From 1994 to 2000, it was shown in an early evening timeslot, at either 1710-1740 and, later at 1730-1800.

Other ITV regions also screened Shortland Street at their own pace, usually during daytime although some (HTV
HTV

HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales and West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, owned and operated by ITV plc from studios in Cardiff and Bristol....
 and Granada
Granada

Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada , in the autonomous communities of Spain of Andalusia, Spain....
) followed Central's early-evening example for a short time. Scottish Television
Scottish Television

Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. The studios were located in Glasgow's Theatre Royal on Hope Street for two decades, and later in custom built premises on an adjacent site on Renfield Street in Cowcaddens, Glasgow, but moving to new studios in Pacific Qua...
 have never shown Shortland Street. Central eventually moved the serial to a lunchtime slot, 1300-1330 from September 2000 and it remained here for over two years.

From January 2003, the Carlton
Carlton

Carlton may refer to:...
-owned ITV regions including Central, Westcountry, HTV
HTV

HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales and West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, owned and operated by ITV plc from studios in Cardiff and Bristol....
 and Carlton
Carlton

Carlton may refer to:...
-London networked Shortland Street in an afternoon slot, 1430-1500, Monday to Wednesday, with a Thursday episode added a few months later. A special programme was aired (presented by Michael Galvin
Michael Galvin

Michael Galvin is a well known New Zealand actor. He is best known for his role as Doctor Chris Warner on the soap opera Shortland Street. He is the only remaining original cast member on the show, appearing in the very first episode on May 25, 1992....
 and Angela Bloomfield
Angela Bloomfield

Angela Bloomfield is a New Zealand actress and director.She starred in Shortland Street for nine years, transforming Rachel McKenna from the school girl daughter of clinic boss into a university student, bar manager and later, a Shortland Street clinic employee....
) introducing new viewers to the show whilst viewers in other regions had to endure a massive jump in storylines to join up with Central who were considerably ahead (up to 5 years in some cases). Meanwhile, the Granada
Granada

Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada , in the autonomous communities of Spain of Andalusia, Spain....
-owned regions, such as Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television

Yorkshire Television is the ITV contractor for the Yorkshire franchise. Up until 1974 this was primarily the three Riding of Yorkshire and associated areas served by the Emley Moor transmitting station television transmitter....
 and Meridian
Meridian

Meridian, or a meridian line may refer to:...
 dropped the series entirely, opting for local programming instead. However, Shortland Street failed to attract a significant audience in its new afternoon slot and it was axed completely by ITV
ITV

ITV is a public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television network of British television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC....
 and was last shown on 28 August 2003, finishing at episode 2367. Central had shown the serial consecutively for over 10 years, leaving many fans in the Midlands very disappointed. So far, no other UK broadcaster has picked up the rights to screen Shortland Street despite its small, but loyal audience across the country.

In previous years, South Pacific Pictures publicity has claimed the show was sold to Bophuthatswana
Bophuthatswana

Bophuthatswana was a bantustan in the northwest of South Africa. It had a surface area of approximately 40 000 km? and consisted of seven enclaves dispersed over the former South African provinces of Cape Province, Transvaal and Orange Free State....
, which journalists have used to demonstrate Shortland Street's interracial appeal.

Shortland Street and New Zealand's health system


The producers of Shortland Street have tried to make the show reflect the current trends in New Zealand health services. As a result, the hospital featured on the show was originally under private ownership, which reflected the increasing privatisation of the New Zealand health services in the early 1990s under the National Government. After the Labour government was elected into office in 1999, there was a renewed focus on public health services. As a result, in 2001 the producers of the show decided to have the hospital come under government ownership in order to reflect the renewed focus on public health. This change was part of the show's revamp in 2001, and coincided with the cull of 14 characters mentioned above.

External links

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