This article details the various storylines that have occurred on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street since its debut on 25 May 1992.
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The first episode airs, featuring the now infamous line "You're not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata!"
Kirsty Knight (Angela Dotchin) is the victim of an attempted rape by Darryl Neilson (Mark Ferguson).
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Tom Neilson runs away from Shortland Street with all his and his wife's earnings and starts a new life.
Hone Ropata is stalked by an obsessed fan.
Nurse Carrie Burton (Lisa Crittenden) gives birth to triplets.
Dr. Leonard Dodds (Marton Csokas) and cafe owner Gina Rossi (Josephine Davison) marry.
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Katherine Blake is revealed as a fraud and murderer and attempts to run down Chris Warner in her car.
Nurse Steve Mills (Andrew Binns) and TP Aleni are killed in a car crash.
The 500th episode of Shortland Street airs in April.
A kiss between Dr. Meredith Fleming (Stephanie Wilkin) and Nurse Annie Flynn (Rebecca Hobbs) sparks controversy.
Stuart Neilson (Martin Henderson) objects to the marriage of Kirsty Knight (Angela Dotchin) and Lionel Skeggins (John Leigh).
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Sir Bruce Warner (Ken Blackburn) revealed that Margot Warner (Glynis McNicoll) was not Guy's (Craig Parker) mother and that he had an affair which resulted in his conception. This could explain the hostile nature between Guy and Chris (Michael Galvin)
After getting drunk and enraging a truck driver who raped her, scheming Nurse Carla Crozier, Ellen Crozier's sister, managed to persuade him to kill himself by driving his truck into the clinic. Receptionist Kirsty Skeggins (née Knight), received the full force of the crash, and was put into a coma. On waking a few days later, she could not remember the last two years of her life, including her marriage to, and love for, cafe owner Lionel Skeggins. Kirsty eventually got her memory back, but found her love for Lionel was gone, possibly never there to begin with, and the two eventually divorced amicably.
In that same crash other characters, including Nurse Carmen Roberts (Theresa Healey), received minor injuries. While Carmen had complained of a bump to the head, she was adamant that she did not need admitting to hospital, choosing instead to be at home with her family on Christmas Eve. Her partner, Guy Warner (Craig Parker) had proposed to Carmen was attending to the baby when she dropped dead due to a brain aneurysm, leaving him to raise their baby daughter Tuesday (Olivia Tennet) alone.
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In April, Shortland Street marks its 1000th episode with an earthquake storyline and the murder of Bernie Leach, by his psychotic wife Carla (née Crozier), nurse Ellen Crozier's sister. Carla then attempted suicide by slashing her wrists in the bathtub, only to be discovered by her niece, Minnie Crozier. When Carla eventually came to in hospital and very much alive, she turned even more psychotic and was eventually admitted to a psychiatric facility by Ellen. Carla then tried to strangle Ellen on one of her visits, after which Ellen cut all ties with her sister.
Future New Zealand Prime Ministers Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark make special appearances in an episode involving Marj Brasch's exit storyline as Marj visits the beehive to begin her new job as an M.P.
In the first of two one-hour episodes of Shortland Street in 1996, the clinic staff are taken hostage.
The second one-hour episode of Shortland Street for that year is the season finale, and features location scenes shot on location in Fiji, the storyline being David Kearney's search for his estranged partner Ellen Crozier.
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The fifth Anniversary of Shortland Street is marked by the marriage of Dr. David Kearney (Peter Elliott) and nursing manager, Ellen Crozier (Robyn Malcolm).
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Baby Rose Crozier-Kearney dies of SIDS.
Shortland Street celebrates its 1500th episode in May.
Oscar Henry, the controlling ex-boyfriend of Minnie Crozier (Katrina Devine), rapes her in her home after they split up.
A pregnant Tiffany Marinovich (Alison James) slipped and fell from the roof of a high-rise while trying to stop a patient attempting suicide. The patient was later admitted to a psychiactric ward.
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Lionel Skeggins (John Leigh) is presumed drowned on his wedding day to Dr. Mackenzie Choat (Ingrid Park).
Mackenzie murders Oscar Henry by making his hospital room explode.
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Another earthquake strikes, causing the clinic to sink due to soil liquefaction. The clinic shifts to a bigger premises nearby – (in reality, the movement of the Shortland Street studios from Browns Bay to Henderson necessitated this storyline).
Shortland Street's 2000th episode features the wedding of paramedic Rangi Heremaia (Blair Strang) and medical assistant Donna Heka (Stephanie Tauevihi).
Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett) and his partner, paramedic Ange Weaver (Katherine Hubbard), celebrate the arrival of their son Lucas.
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A cast cull leads to the exits of 14 characters, with new characters such as Nurse Toni Thompson (Laura Hill), The Heywood and Hudson Families coming in to replace them.
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Shortland Street celebrates its tenth anniversary in May, followed by its 2500th episode in June.
After a tumultuous eight-year courtship, Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett)and Waverley Wilson (Claire Chitham) finally marry.
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Tama Hudson and Shannon Te Ngaru are devastated by the death of their newborn son Ngakau Kahu, to Streptococcus B.
Nurse Anne Kahu embarks on a scandalous affair with son-in-law Nelson Copeland.
Dr. Geoff Greenlaw's body is found frozen in a chiller, sparking off a whodunit storyline that becomes Shortland Street's main focus over the following year.
Nurse Anne Kahu is crushed and killed in a building collapse as the result of business mogul, Rex Treherne's (Raymond Hawthorne) shoddy building practices.
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Shortland Street celebrates its 3000th episode in June with an episode focusing on the two remaining original cast members, Dr. Chris Warner (Michael Galvin) and Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett). In the episode Chris struggles with his attraction to Lucy Swinton (Sally Stockwell), only to learn that she is sleeping with his old foe Dominic Thompson (Shane Cortese), while Nick and Waverley (Claire Chitham) celebrate the birth of their new baby girl, Tina-Anne.
Dominic Thompson's return marked his second reign of terror, during which he frames Dr. Victor Kahu for Geoff Greenlaw's murder; murdered his PA, Avril Lucich by drowning her in a bathtub; left teenager Scarlett Valentine (Nicole Thomson) in a coma after pushing her down the stairs to prevent her identifying him; framed Bernadette Lucich (Avril's twin sister) for fraud and finally stealing Chris Warner's identity and money before attempting to kill him in a jealous murder-suicide ploy which resulted in Dominic being severely burnt in an explosion and dying after confessing to Geoff and Avril's murders.
Shortland Street screens a one-hour episode on Christmas Day, featuring the marriage of Tama Hudson and Shannon Te Ngaru.
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Chris Warner (Michael Galvin) marries Toni Thompson (Laura Hill).
Nick, Waverley, Lucas and Tina-Anne depart Ferndale for Taranaki.
Norman Hansen (Jacob Tomuri) dies following a car accident.
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On 14 February 2006, Shortland Street was the first soap opera to feature a Civil Union between lesbian couple, Maia Jeffries and Jay Copeland.
A deadly virus outbreak in Shortland Street Hospital claims the life of Dr. Li Mei Chen a year after her boyfriend Norman died.
Shortland Street films two episodes on location in Rotorua.
The love-triangle between Huia Samuels, Dr. Craig Valentine and Dr. Sarah Potts comes to an explosive end when Huia is killed in a car bombing in the hospital carpark meant for Anthony Richards. Those responsible were never identified until 2008 when those responsible are revealed to be the dodgy pharmaceutical company Scott Spear. With this storyline it also introduces Dev Robin Gardener who appears again in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
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Scarlett Valentine was a target of schoolyard bullying and moved to Australia after she tried to run over ex-boyfriend Hunter McKay who also had his share on problems being underage for a safe sex campaign and for forming a relationship with widow Tess Adamson.
Maia Jefferies's desire for a baby led her use her brother-in-law Mark Weston as a sperm donor. The father's identify was discovered by Jay. After learning of Jay's death, Maia was consoled by her mother Yvonne and sister Tania when Mark announced he was the baby's father. Maia then went into labour.
Sarah Potts marries TK Samuels, but their honeymoon was short-lived, as she returned to work after ex-boyfriend and E.D. head Craig Valentine suffered a heart attack.
Toni Warner took son Harry and fled to Australia with brother-in-law Guy and his daughter Tuesday having discovered husband Chris with Rachel McKenna and then learned of his affair with Justine Jones from Guy. They later returned to New Zealand, but what happened during that time has not been revealed. Their return in December 2007 ended with the four upsidedown in a wrecked car driven by Guy.
From early July, a serial killer, dubbed "The Ferndale Strangler", had the women of Shortland Street Hospital living in fear when several were found strangled with surgical procedures carried out on their bodies. The victims: receptionist Claire Solomon found in a rubbish skip outside the hospital, nurse Meg Harris found in a skip outside The I.V., bar owner Jay Copeland found in bushes near the hospital, nurse Beth Wilson was abducted from her home and found a week later by river, and nurse Brenda Holloway was given a lethal injection on Halloween night by someone in a Halloween mask after discovering crucial evidence regarding mysterious cardiac arrests. Undercover policewoman Tracey Morrison, posing as a nurse, had a narrow escape when she was found sedated in a skip behind The I.V., markings on her torso indicated surgical procedures – she was moved to a safe-house. Gavin Capper and Justin Salt were arrested on an unrelated case. The police assumed Gavin was the Ferndale Strangler, however the last episode for 2007 revealed that the Ferndale Strangler was in fact, nurse Joey Henderson when he pulled IV tubing from his pocket and was seen about strangle nurse Tania Jeffries having learned she was in a relationship with doctor Kip Denton.
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With the identity of the Ferndale Strangler revealed, viewers saw Joey Henderson fail in his attempt to strangle Tania Jeffries. Joey then set his sights on nurse Shanti Kumari Joey later turned his frustration onto Alice Piper who he kidnapped and kept in a storage unit where he gave her an appendectomy. Alice managed to escape when she stabbed Joey's leg. Craig and Kieran arrived at the lock-up. Craig found a bleeding Joey who pretended to die. As Craig turned away, Joey ran off, only to be pursued and caught by Kieran on the roof. Rather than surrendering to the police, Joey committed suicide by jumping off the building.
The aftermath of the high-speed car crash saw Toni, Harry and Tuesday Warner admitted to Shortland Street Hospital and Guy Warner taken to Central. Toni lost one of her kidneys and later returned to work. Guy was seriously ill and placed in an induced coma for a time. Guy later caused a sensation by publishing a book about the Warners and Chris' relationship with various women, alluding to him offering promotion for sex which was incorrect.
Teenage cousins, Wiremu Potae and Tane Samuels returned to Ferndale as Shortland Street tackled the issue of teenage driving. This storyline's dramatic climax occurred when the boys, along with Sophie McKay and Tuesday Warner, become involved in street-racing with illegally modified cars. Wiremu, with Sophie, lost control of his car at high-speed when it hit a pot-hole. He hit Tane, leaving him in a crumpled heap on the road. Tane ended up being paralysed. Wiremu was charged with operating a dangerous vehicle.
Original series regular, Dr. Hone Ropata (Temuera Morrison) returns in Episode 4000 for a six-week guest-stint.
Norovirus was identified on an incoming patient and Toni Warner unwittingly became exposed to the disease but thought it was a stomach bug which Harry had a few days earlier. On 12 June 2008 June, Toni was taken to hospital because of dehydration soon it became apparent that her surviving kidney was irreparably damaged. Toni was floored at the news that she would need dialysis for the rest of her life. Chris vowed to do everything he could to care for her, and insisted that she moved back home. A reluctant but grateful Toni accepted. Unfortunately Toni succumbed to the disease and died in front of Chris and Harry.
Problems with drugs supplied by the dodgy pharmaceutical company Scott Spear were found to have been severely diluted and some patients had died as a result. Among them was Toni Warner. Doctors Craig Valentine and Justine Jones began to investigate the source. Anthony Richards, a former Scott Spear drug company employee who was in hiding, fearing retaliation, alerted Craig and Justine to a journal containing drug cover-ups. When Craig eventually got his hands on the ledger, he was pursued by Don Lennox and thugs who are members of a ruthless gang known as the whitetails and were hired by Scott Spear. The thugs forced his SUV off the road and then chased him around a wooded area. Craig's heart problems resurfaced, which led to him being captured, beaten to death, then torched in his SUV. Justine Jones then became a target when Don Lennox and the whitetails were hired by Scott Spear to kill her. After Justine discovered a bomb in her car, she used it to fake her death and escape with a new identity to Australia where she is under witness protection.
Sarah Potts finally accepted that she has multiple sclerosis and resigned as Head of E.D., much to the astonishment of her husband TK. Her pregnancy also played a factor in her decision to resign. Soon after she was appointed acting Chief Executive Officer when Callum McKay was stood down pending an investigation over his shares in Nessus Bio, a company that Ethan Pierce has encouraged him to invest in.
Kieran Mitchell unwittingly discovered that the new head of surgery, Ethan Pierce was involved with funeral home operator Sterling Haldane in a body harvesting operation. Tissue from one of the bodies was used in several patients that included Timothy Carson, a 10-year-old with muscular dystrophy and hospital receptionist Yvonne Jeffries. It was subsequently discovered that Timothy had contracted HIV through an infected DBM. He then confronted Haldane, and was furious to discover death certificates had been falsified. An elderly woman abandoned at the hospital by her family was befriended by Ethan, who then had Kieran drive her to the funeral home on the pretence that she was to view to husband's body. She was killed by Ethan for her body parts. Ethan then decided to leave the country and as everyone started to find out his true colours, Ethan was shot three times and died.
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Ethan Pierce dies on the beach in Brooke Freeman's arms.
Tania Jeffries and Kingi Te Wake survive thanks to Whitetales member Tupac.
Sarah Potts becomes Acting C.E.O after Callum McKay is dismissed due to the Nessus Bio scandal.
Nurse Maia Jeffries is forced to confess she shot Ethan Pierce when Alice Piper remembers she was there the day of the murder. Alice promises to stick by Maia and keep it a secret.
Sarah Potts and TK Samuels elect to terminate her pregnancy when they learn the baby has a disease.
Ethan Pierce makes a surprise return as a hallucination of Maia Jeffries after she is sent to a mental institution.
Justine Jones returned for the trial of John Grainer and the dodgy pharmaceutical company Scott Spear but she is still hunted by Don Lennox and the ruthless whitetail gang. After Justine gave evidence, she also ended her marriage to husband Callum McKay on learning he is in love with Brooke Freeman. In 2010, it was revealed that John Grainger is imprisoned and Scott Spear (the dodgy pharmaceutical company) is facing billions of dollars worth of fines.
On 19 October, Shortland Street Hospital lost beloved nurse Shanti Kumari when she was accidentally infected with dengue fever by Oliver Ritchie.
Rachel Mckenna returned to Shortland Street Hospital to supervise CEO Callum McKay and to try to win back the affections of Chris Warner.
The 2009 season ended with Kieran accidentally killing Morgan Braithwaite by hit and run, a lot of the storylines of the past 2 years had focused on Morgan.
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Gerald, Hunter and Nicole discover the lifeless body of Morgan the night after the Christmas Party.
Kieran and Sophie's big wedding gets interrupted by Kieran's ex-girlfriend Libby Jeffries who has evidence that Kieran killed Morgan.
Hunter gives a drug addict some clean needles and her friend stabs him with a used needle possibly infecting him with HIV. Later in the year it is revealed he was not infected with the disease.
Kieran starts to get blackmailed by an unknown source, it is eventually revealed as his new waitress Jane. They conceive a con together and Kieran eventually pays her the sum.
After a fight at the supermarket, Hunter is stabbed with a screw driver and Ben is knocked to the ground hitting his head hard on the pavement. Ben develops a brain hemorrhage and eventually is declared brain dead after surgery and dies a week later.
Kieran, Gerald, Nicole and Sean are pursued through a forest by Thai thugs in a special 90 minute episode. The episode concludes with Kieran admitting to Morgans death and letting himself fall to his death to save Gerald and Sean.
After weeks of poisoning Scotty, Penny Rourke kidnaps him and holds him hostage. She shoots him and escapes.
After the apartment they are in catches alight, Callum jumps onto the passed out lovers, Chris and Rachel, protecting them from another huge explosion as the year ends.
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The dramatic fire from 2010 leaves Callum with third degree burns, smoke inhalation and metal shards in his back giving him a small chance of survival.
Maia, Yvonne and Jay Jeffries leave Shortland Street, ending a 7-year era and one of the longest running roles ever on the show.
Rachel's brother Jonathon McKenna returns to the street after 15 years in order to have an operation which leaves him blind.
After abandoning fiance; Roimata at the altar to help ex-wife Sarah give birth, TK Samuels saves Hunter from his mangled car as it explodes.
Brooke is stalked for several months by eager research assistant, Winston Youn which results in Brooke attempting to kill him by running him over.
Josh Gallagher died by being crushed by rubble in the Warner Bach Explosion, while Roimata Ngatai back to Shortland Street, then later died on the operating table.
Chris Warner and Grace Kwan decide to have a bab,y then at Chris and Rachel's wedding, Grace decides to leave Shortland Street when Brooke Freeman tells Chris Warner and Rachel McKenna that Grace has had a miscarriage.
The annual Shortland Street cliffhanger is a storyline at the end of the year's season, often a crisis, that leaves behind a question to be answered the following year. This technique is used to lure viewers back after the long break. Cliffhangers are usually carefully written as so storylines from throughout the year finally interconnect and come to a head.
This list contains all the marriages and civil unions that have occurred on Shortland Street. Note that it contains weddings that took place off-screen as well as invalid marriages, commitment ceremonies and vow renewals.
Note – (1) indicates a non legal marriage.
