Shortland Street’s most memorable characters

Sarah Potts: played by Amanda Billing, 2004 to 2014 After arriving as a love interest for doctor Craig Valentine, emergency consultant Sarah soon became centre of attention when it was revealed her younger brother Daniel was in fact her illegitimate son. She later entered an epic eight-year on-off relationship with TK Samuels, which saw them get married, divorce, have a child and get engaged again. The intrigue sent ratings through the roof, but it was nothing compared to when, with little warning, Sarah contracted a virus and suddenly died. Shocked, fans went into mourning for the beloved character, with more than 1.6 million tributes posted on Facebook within a week.

Chris Warner: Played by Michael Galvin, 1992 to 1996, 2000 to now The backbone and patriarch of New Zealand’s favourite drama, Shortland Street’s current CEO has walked the hospital’s corridors since the very first episode, where we saw him cheating on his future fiancée with an aerobics instructor. Since then, the serial love rat has been married four times, enjoyed innumerable affairs and had half a dozen children, including Ferndale’s favourite triplets, Finn, Frank and Sass Connelly, but perhaps his most memorable storyline was the time he missed his own wedding after being drugged and locked in a barn. He’s also been addicted to painkillers and spent time behind bars after being framed for murder. Most recently, Chris became a worldwide viral sensation after confronting son Harry over his sexting with the immortal line, “Please tell me that is not your penis!”

Rachel McKenna: played by Angela Bloomfield,1993 to 1999, 2001 to 2003, 2007, 2009 to 2016 Originally introduced as a love interest for heart-throb Stuart Neilson, the Shorty bombshell blossomed from a bratty schoolgirl into a sharp-tongued career woman at the head of the hospital. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with Rachel battling bulimia, being hit by lightning, getting kidnapped and working through an army of men along the way. However, it was her struggles with alcoholism that defined Rachel and eventually saw her leave Shortland Street having drunkenly made several major managerial mistakes and ruined Lucy Rickman’s wedding.

Nick Harrison: played by Karl Burnett, 1992 to 2005, 2017 His stint as the longest-running continuous character on Shorty saw Nick evolve from rebellious teen to doting dad and hospital 2IC. He once changed his name to Slash, temporarily lost his sight after a fireworks accident and married Rachel as a protest against student loans, but it was Waverley Wilson who was the woman of his dreams. The pair wed in 2002 and moved to Taranaki, but they’re back for the 25th anniversary.

Hone Ropata: played by Temuera Morrison, 1992 to 1995, 2008 In the very first episode, his unorthodox delivery of a baby caused head nurse Carrie Burton to declare, “You’re not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata!” A quarter of a century later, it’s still an iconic Kiwi quote. Fresh from operating in Central America, clinical consultant Hone clashed with hospital staff due to his no-nonsense style and womanising ways. He was once fired for sneaking a refugee into the country and was arrested for murder after punching a gang member dead. He left the hospital to set up a clinic on the East Coast, but returned briefly 13 years later for a short-lived stint as CEO.

Toni Warner: played by Laura Hill, 2001 to 2008 The first character to get married, give birth and die on Shorty, nurse Toni was a bed-hopping party girl who transformed into a hardworking mother. However, her bad luck in relationships stayed with her to the end. Chris fathered her son Harry, but even after that, she wed cheating fellow nurse Matt McAllister and dated psychotic doctor Logan King before eventually marrying her baby daddy. When she later discovered Chris’ infidelity, she fled with his half-brother Guy, then nearly died in a car crash. She and Chris eventually reconciled, only for Toni – who had one kidney – to have a reaction to dialysis and die.

Ellen Crozier: played by Robyn Malcolm, 1994 to 1999 The newly single nursing manager accidentally burnt down her house with a cigarette and life didn’t get any easier with troubled teen daughter Minnie, psychotic sister Carla and rocky romances. But her most heart-wrenching storyline saw Ellen and clinic CEO David Kearney’s baby Rose succumb to sudden infant death syndrome. The married couple soon split and had several affairs, but they reunited before departing Ferndale for an early retirement. A beloved character, Ellen’s exit was blamed for a drop in ratings.

Carmen Roberts: played by Theresa Healey, 1993 to 1995 A former prostitute and drug addict, the witty nurse became a beloved character who won the lottery on a dead patient’s ticket and later dated social worker Guy Warner. Soon after, they welcomed daughter Tuesday, a truck crashed into the clinic and Carmen was hit, but she insisted she was fine. In a shocking December 25 episode, she accepted a proposal from Guy only to collapse and die from a brain haemorrhage. Worst Christmas ever!

Waverly Wilson: played by Claire Chitham, 1994 to 1995, 1998 to 2005, 2017 Rachel’s country cousin initially used Nick for sex, conning him into taking her virginity so she could use the experience to pursue Stuart Nielson, but it wasn’t long before Waverley and Nick became besotted. Their romance was a bumpy road – he once dumped her for cutting off his long hair while he slept – yet the lovebirds eventually tied the knot in 2002 and after a heartbreaking battle with breast cancer, Waverley welcomed daughter Tina-Anne.

Marjorie Brasch: played by Elizabeth McRae, 1992 to 1996, 1998, 2002, 2012 The hospital’s original matriarch, the matronly receptionist and incorrigible gossip spoke the show’s first-ever line: “Shortland Street Accident and Emergency Centre.” Soon afterwards, Marj’s husband Tom went to the dairy to pick up some cream and disappeared to join a cult. Elected to Parliament as an MP for Ferndale, her final scene in 1996 featured future prime ministers Helen Clark and Jenny Shipley – a meeting of three of the most powerful women in New Zealand!

Kylie Brown: played by Kerry-Lee Dewing, 2012 to now Shortland Street’s answer to Angelina Jolie, the nurse was found to have inherited the gene that made her susceptible to breast cancer – a disease that had taken her great-aunt and was killing her mother – and underwent an elective mastectomy. Soon afterwards, in another topical storyline, Kylie helped her ailing mum commit euthanasia and ended up in court. Found not guilty of assisting suicide, the blonde bombshell recently rebounded from her split from TK to marry Chris’ troubled son Frank Connelly.

Joey Henderson: played by Johnny Barker, 2007 to 2008 After nine months of intrigue, the awkward nurse was unveiled as the Ferndale Strangler, a serial killer responsible for the deaths of Cindy Young, Claire Solomon, Jay Copeland, Beth Wilson, Brenda Holloway and Meg Harris. Joey later kidnapped Alice Piper and tried to perform surgery on her, but he was caught and while trying to make his escape, died after jumping off a building. His last words were, “I am Joseph James Henderson, gone but never forgotten.” True story, bro.

Donna Heka: played by Stephanie Tauevihi, 1997 to 2004 She helped bury a body and survived a drive-by shooting, but Donna is best remembered for her passionate relationship with fellow paramedic Rangi Heremaia. Being told they were half-brother and sister caused turmoil, but they slept together again before splitting – then reunited when it turned out they weren’t related after all! In Shorty’s 2000th episode, the pair tied the knot, but he was later found murdered by a woman he was seeing on the side.

Vinnie Kruse-Miller: played by Pua Magasiva, 2003 to 2006, 2011 to now Jokes and pranks are never far away when this hospital heart-throb is around, but the laughter almost died when the party-loving nurse donned an Easter Bunny costume and nearly drowned in a paddling pool! In his first stint on the show, Vinnie had a shocking affair with his best mate Tama Hudson’s girlfriend Shannon Te Ngaru. After five years in the UK, he returned to Ferndale for a string of hot romances, but he’s since settled down to marry and start a family with fellow nurse Nicole.

Roimata Ngatai: played by Shavaughn Ruakere, 2011 to 2014 Left at the altar by her groom TK, who was busy saving Hunter McKay from a burning car, the nurse did eventually marry her man, but their happiness was short-lived. In a shocking storyline, Roimata was sexually assaulted by a mystery assailant, later to be revealed as fellow nurse Zac Smith. In the wake of the rape, doctor Josh Gallagher comforted her and the pair had an affair that ended her marriage. Roimata eventually died from injuries received in a dramatic explosion that Josh had masterminded in order to look like a hero.

Lionel Skeggins: played by John Leigh, 1993 to 1999 Do you know the muffin man? Of course, you do! Although the café owner was swept out to sea, never to be seen again, unlucky-in-love nice guy Lionel has gone down in history for his baked goods – oh, and his stormy romance with Kirsty Knight. He went on to date Grace Kwan and later psychotic doctor Mackenzie Choat, who he was trying to escape when he was washed off a rock. Time for a comeback?

Ula Levi: played by Frankie Adams, 2010 to 2015 A teen bully, Ula was forced to grow up fast when boyfriend Tom Stanton pressured her into sex and she fell pregnant. She adopted baby Adam out but received regular visits while training to be a paramedic and falling for cheating doctor Garrett Whitley. Ula eventually found love with her longtime crush and fellow ambulance officer Dallas Adams, with whom she left to travel the world.

Sophie McKay: played by Kimberley Crossman, 2006 to 2012 The trendy teen blogger lost her virginity to sexually confused Nate Adamson, but it turned out he had a crush on her brother Hunter. After a one-night stand with a paraplegic, Ferndale High head girl Sophie dated Daniel Potts before beginning a secret affair with older man Kieran Mitchell, who was almost arrested for murder on their wedding day in 2010! When Kieran died after falling off a cliff, his widow briefly reunited with Daniel before leaving town to explore the globe.

Brooke Freeman: played by Beth Allen, 2008 to 2014 A wannabe femme fatale, definite bunny boiler and all-round complex character, the manipulative doctor used her sex appeal to get what she wanted – and what she wanted most was a rich husband. After working her way through Chris, head surgeon Ethan Pierce, CEO Callum MacKay and TK, two-faced Brooke struggled with the arrival of her alcoholic mother Annette and then her batty half-sister Bree Hamilton, who tried to kill her. She eventually married fellow doctor Boyd Rolleston, but left him to further her career in Washington DC.

Carla Crozier: played by Elisabeth Easther, 1995 to 1996 One of the show’s most memorable villains, the nasty nurse spiked her sister Ellen’s pizza so she’d fail a drugs test, then twice unsuccessfully tried to kill rival Tiffany Pratt. After being raped, Carla convinced her attacker to drive his truck into the clinic – a crash that took the life of fellow nurse Carmen – and later bludgeoned her husband Bernie Leach to death with a candlestick. After attempting suicide, Carla was admitted to a psychiatric facility, where she attempted to murder her visiting sister.

Grace Kwan: played by Lynette Forday, 1994 to 1997, 2013 to 2014 A hard-working doctor and devoted sci-fi fan, Grace surgically re-attached her own finger after severing it in a cooking accident and memorably performed an emergency tracheotomy on Chris using a Star Trek pen. After 16 years in Australia, Grace returned to Ferndale desperate to have a baby and convinced Chris to have no-strings sex with her so she could be a mum. But she developed feelings for him and had to leave the country, later giving birth to daughter Trinity on the side of a road in Fiji – delivered by Boyd.

Jamie Forrest: played by Karl Urban, 1993 to 1994 A groundbreaking and controversial figure, Shortland Street’s first openly gay character was alienated due to his sexuality, but the paramedic went on to have a love affair with Rachel’s brother Jonathon. Clinic CEO Michael McKenna temporarily disowned his son but later saved the couple from being beaten up by thugs. Jamie eventually became an advocate for HIV awareness and gay rights, later splitting from his boyfriend to move to Christchurch.