Current Shortland Street characters

Shortland Street is a New Zealand soap opera that has been broadcast on TV2 since May 1992. Most of the characters that appear are residents of the fictional suburb of Ferndale and a majority work in the title hospital. The following characters currently appear in the show.

Main Characters

Chris Warner

Actor: Michael Galvin
Duration: 1992-1996, 2000-present

Main article: Chris Warner

The only original character still on the show, Chris is a highly skilled surgeon who picked up the nickname "Dr. Love" for his womanizing ways.

Chris has been married four times, with three ending in divorce and one in death. Chris' family has also been touched on upon the show with his brother Guy featuring multiple times throughout the year in both recurring and core roles. Sir Bruce Warner, Chris' father and Lady Margot Warner, Chris' mother have also featured with both succumbing to cancer in 1995 and 2003 respectively. Chris has also fathered 6 children with 3 to Carrie Burton, 1 to Alison Raynor and 2 to Toni Warner. Chris' mothers side of the family, the Worthington's was also explored in 2010 with Chris' cousin Isaac being introduced and eventually his relatives.

Chris' storylines have spanned many different scenario's including dating a murderer, multiple affairs, developing an addiction to pills, disputes with Guy over his fathers will, losing his eyesight, his hand being crushed and even being held hostage by wife Toni's psychotic brother Dominic.

Chris is currently head of surgery at the hospital while he was previously the CEO of the hospital before succeeded by Hone Ropata. He is in a relationship with Rachel McKenna and lives at his house, "The Warner Mansion" with Rachel and his sons Harry and Phoenix.

Rachel McKenna

Actor: Angela Bloomfield
Duration: 1993-1999, 2001-2003, 2007, 2009-present

Main article: Rachel McKenna

Rachel first appeared in 1993 as the then teenage spoilt daughter of CEO Michael McKenna. Rachel is a hardworking business woman who thinks more in numbers than in physicality.

Throughout her teenage years, Rachel indulged in numerous relationships which often ended badly and she soon followed in her fathers steps of alcoholism. Despite her prominent problems with alcohol, Rachel managed to find herself three husbands throughout her run. She was briefly married to best friend Nick Harrison in 1995 in a protest of student loans. In 1999 she married boyfriend Daniel Buchanan and in 2007 she married Internet guru Jeremy Tyler. Rachel was introduced as part of Michaels family and she arrived alongside mother, Alex McKenna and a few months later, Rachel's gay brother Jonathan arrived. Rachel's mothers side of the family was also expanded and involved in the show when Rachel's cousin Waverley Wilson was introduced and eventually married Rachel's ex husband Nick.

Rachel's storylines have shown her grow from an immature teenage girl to a successful business woman and have had her featured in numerous scenario's including; nearly drowning, being held hostage, being caught in two fires, being framed for murder, saving a baby from an explosion, suffering from bulimia and being hit by lightning.

Rachel is in a relationship with Chris Warner and is living at "The Warner Mansion" with Chris' two sons, Harry and Phoenix.

Vinnie Kruse

Sarah Potts

Actor: Amanda Billing
Duration: 2004-present

Main article: Sarah Potts (character)

Sarah arrived to Shortland Street in 2004 as a love interest for Craig Valentine and soon became known for her feisty no nonsense attitude towards work and personal issues.

Throughout her run on Shortland Street, Sarah has had very little luck in romance, having being married twice. She first married CEO Andrew Solomon, whose ex girlfriend showed up to the wedding, pregnant. They soon divorced. In 2006, Sarah was caught up in a love triangle between her, Craig and the handsome TK Samuels. She chose TK and in 2007 married him. However in 2008 Sarah was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which hindered her views on life and she soon decided to start a family. However when she had to have her baby terminated because of illness, Sarah and TK gave up on the idea of a family. In 2009, Sarah broke up with TK as she felt she was holding him back from having a family. However after a short lived reconciliation with TK in 2010, Sarah fell pregnant with his child. Unfortunately TK has moved on, leaving Sarah alone with an upcoming baby.

When Sarah was a teenager, she gave birth to a son she called Daniel. He was brought up as her brother and came to resent Sarah when he learnt the truth. Sarahs mother, Pam and father, Morgan have also been introduced as guest characters but have never been promoted further than that.

Daniel Potts

Actor: Ido Drent (2009-present)
Jarred Blakiston (2004-2007)
Duration: 2004-2005, 2007, 2009-present

Main article: Daniel Potts

Daniel arrived to the show in 2004 a few weeks after his mother Sarah, arrived. He is shown to be a shy and ignorant young teenager who enjoys both sport and technology.

Daniel was raised by Sarah's parents with the belief that Sarah was his brother. He learnt the truth in 2004 and briefly resented his mother. Despite several more ups and downs, Daniel seems to generally get on with his mother and would do anything to make sure she is safe. After living with his father Tim, in Samoa, Daniel fell into the bad crowd and upon returning to Ferndale, participated in several illegal activities that ended up with him being arrested and a friend of his dying in a car accident. However Daniel sorted himself out after his unborn baby was aborted and he started to work at the hospital before eventually designing his own computer software.

Daniel initially clashed with bossy teen Sophie McKay but soon fell head over heels in love and the two started dating with Sophie eventually cheating on him with middle aged barman Kieran Mitchell. After this Daniel had several liaisons with the likes of a girl named Chelsea and a girl named Loren, who he got pregnant. In 2010 Daniel once again started to date Sophie and admitted his love to her, unfortunately Sophie decided to leave him and travel the world in 2011. Daniel then started to date flatmate Hunter's nemesis, Paige.

TK Samuels

Actor: Benjamin Mitchell
Duration: 2006-present

Main article: TK Samuels

Te Koha (TK) Samuels arrived in early 2006 as the cousin of established character, CEO Huia Samuels. A mischievous partier, TK soon got a job working in ED.

After meeting feisty Sarah Potts, TK was instantly smitten. He changed his ways and turned into a mature adult working as a general practitioner. TK did not act on his crush but when Sarah found her boyfriend Craig Valentine had cheated on her, TK helped her through it and the two started to date. In late 2006 Sarah proposed to TK. The two were married in 2007 but Sarah's Multiple Sclerosis ensured they could not have children and the two separated. However in 2010 the two readmitted their love and slept together, with Sarah leaving the show. Upon her return in 2011, it was revealed Sarah was pregnant but TK had moved on with new nurse Roimata Ngatai.

TK, the second Samuels introduced, quickly began to pave ways for new guest characters to arrive, with TK's close family sprouting up every so often for guest and recurring stints. His two cousins Wiremu and Tane Samuels have so far been the most prominent characters introduced as a result of TK's family, appearing numerously since their introduction in 2007.

Callum McKay

Actor: Peter Mochrie
Duration: 2006-present

Main article: Callum McKay

Callum arrived to the show in late 2006 as the flirtatious new doctor, it was not long before he was revealed as the husband of all ready established character, Justine Jones.

Callum was introduced to the show in a bid to pave way for a future family unit. Two months after Callum's arrival, he and Justine's two teenage children, Hunter and Sophie arrived. Callum's mother Mona has also appeared in two brief guest stints. Being forced apart due to a witness protection programme, Callum and Justine drift apart and separate in 2009. Since then Callum has gone through several relationships including dating Brooke, Rachel and Lisa and started relationship with Hunter's ex girlfriend Jill Kingsbury.

Callum has been involved in many storylines, many focusing around his intense feud with Chris Warner and problems caused by his children. Callum also reached the CEO position at the fictional hospital where the show takes place, having the job from 2008 until 2011.

Hunter McKay

Actor: Lee Donoghue
Duration 2006-present

Main article: Hunter McKay

Hunter arrived alongside his sister Sophie in December 2006 and quickly made it clear he was as egocentric as his parents. Hunter and Sophie arrived 2 months after their father Callum to round out the family unit with their mother Justine, not too dissimilar to the McKenna family in the 90's.

Hunter began to settle down after almost being run over by ex-girlfriend Scarlett Valentine after bullying her at school. Since then, Hunter has been, for the most part, "one of the good guys", so to speak. Never one to have trouble with the ladies, Hunter's most memorable relationship has been with the 34 year old Tess Adamson. After causing trouble between Hunter and his parents, as well as with her own son Nate, who also had a crush on Hunter, Tess skipped town, breaking Hunter's heart.

Since then, Hunter has gone from immature schoolboy to med school student, and is currently trying to fight his addiction to the drug Royticin.

Brooke Freeman

Gabrielle Jacobs

Maxwell Avia

Nicole Miller

Wendy Cooper

Ula Levi

Phoenix Raynor

Evan Cooper

Jasmine Cooper

Bella Cooper

Murray Cooper

Jill Kingsbury

Lana Jacobs

Recurring Characters

Jonathon McKenna

Actor: Kieren Hutchison
Duration: 1993-1996, 2011-present

Main article: Jonathon McKenna

Jonathon first appeared in 1993 as the trouble-making son of Shortland Street Clinic Director Michael McKenna and older brother of Rachel McKenna. Jonathon is now a successful surgeon based in Los Angeles, but has returned to Ferndale seeking surgery to help him with brain injuries sustained in a car crash in 2010.

Jonathon was originally involved in a controversial same sex storyline upon first appearance and often came and went from Ferndale between 1993 and 1996. As a teenager, Jonathon was shown to be rather arrogant and has a bad relationship with his father, and his storylines often dealt with the complications that came with his homosexuality. Rachel and Jonathon often argued and it got to a point where prior to Jonathon's car accident, Rachel hadn't heard from him in years.

In 2011, Jonathon returned, and is now dealing with the fallout of complications from a risky brain surgery.

Harry Warner

Jacqui

Roimata Ngatai

Paige Munroe

Actor: Rachel Forman
Duration: 2011- Present

Paige was first introduced as the main medical school rival of Hunter when the two were placed at Shortland Street. At first, the two hated each other, which made things awkward when Paige shacked up with Hunter's flatmate Daniel.

However, the two found themselves having to work together, and after the conflicts Hunter was having with his girlfriend, Jill the two wound up sleeping together! However, in the course of studying together, Jill became Hunter's supplier of an ADD medication named Royticin, which lead to Hunter's drug addiction.

We also find out over the course of Shane Tucker's tenure is that he's Paige's uncle, who practically raised her from a young age.

Winston Youn

Actor: Min Kim
Duration: 2011-Present

Main article: Winston Youn

Winston was first introduced after Brooke stole Lars Hammett's research. Sarah allocated Brooke a research assistant, and Winston was hired. At first it seemed as though Winston had an unhealthy obsession with Brooke, akin to that of a stalker, as he knew of her past and her family, and was overprotective of her.

It turned out, however, that Winston was no stalker, and simply knew Brooke when he was younger, as he was the son of Brooke's mother's housekeeper, and he'd known Brooke since she was younger. Winston had been in contact with Brooke's mother Annette and was in charge of looking after Brooke. Winston took this to heart, possibly even going as far to resort to murder.

Lars' wife Nadia showed up one day looking for Brooke, and revealed that she knew that Brooke stole Lars' research, and was going to the police. Winston showed up to Nadia's house and tried to convince her that Brooke wasn't a thief. Nadia disagreed, assaulted Winston and drove off. Winston chased her down in his car. A week later, the police found Nadia's car burned out at the side of a road. She'd been run off the road, and all signs pointed to Winston.

Alex Murphy