Shortland Street

[sootycat]

I know it's not an Aussie soap, but it's close.

From DS



New Zealand soap Shortland Street has been picked up by Living and will return to UK screens later this month, it has been announced.

The long-running serial will be given a daytime slot on the channel and is to be transmitted in double-bills on weekdays at 3pm from August 23.

Living will begin by screening episodes which were aired in 2007 in the show's home country. The instalments will start from the point that former Coronation Street star Adam Rickitt joined the programme in the role of Kieran Mitchell.

A Living statement said: "Viewers can learn what has kept TV fans in New Zealand hooked for 18 years, as some of the most exciting episodes reintroduce the intense and emotional show to British audiences."

Shortland Street used to air on ITV in the UK, but it was dropped from the schedules back in 2003. The show is screened on the TVNZ network in New Zealand.

Rickitt bowed out from his Shortland Street role earlier this year and is now planning a pop comeback.

I'm really chuffed about this. I never missed an episode when it was on ITV

[sallywebster]

I used to watch this when it was on ITV. HTV were years behind some regions but I used to love it. Then they decided to semi network it on Carlton regions so HTV skipped about 600 eps - it was axed not long afterwards.

I will prob try and watch it on Living but it will be like a different show now with so many episodes skipped.

[sootycat]

I used to watch it on Central who showed it all the way through ( until it was axed )

They have started to 'trailer' it now on Living, I did at least recognise one character...Chris Warner.

[sallywebster]

Yes Chris and Toni are the only characters that will still be in it from where ITV left off - and they are now married to each other apparently. Chris is the only character from the original cast, although he did leave for a few years in the late 1990s. I understand his brother Guy is back for a guest appearance in the eps that will be shown on Living.

You are lucky to have seen it on Central - HTV fell behind quite bit by reducing it to 2 or 3 days a week for various periods but at least they showed it unlike many other ITV companies who axed it early into the run.

[Jez]

I have watched the first 4 episodes and its easy to get into even if there were only 3 characters I recognised. Hopefully it will stay on Living for many years to come.

[sootycat]

I agree.
I even recognised the jazzed up music intro. ;D

It is very up to date now isn't it.

Nice to see a few familiar faces, even a reference to a long ago character. (Carmen )

I think Adam Rickett's acting has improved.

I have found a good cast list site here.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Shortland_Street_characters

[Jez]

It was nice to hear a reference to Carmen. Have they aged Guy and Carmen's daughter up cos it would only be 11 years or so before these eps that she was born but she looks about 15!

Thanks for the link Sooty.

[sootycat]

I thik they must have done Jez, she certainly looks a lot older than 11.

I loved the episode where various characters were looking at the old photos they had found, I had forgotton a lot of them.

Something I found out: the actress who plays head nurse Brenda...is the real life daughter of the actress who played receptionist ( later MP ) Marjorie Brasch

[Jez]

I missed that episode! Its such a pain being on when im in work. Im trying to catch it on Living Loves at 6pm but im not always home! Will hopefully get it sorted that I can record it soon and not miss it.

I read that about Marj's real life daughter.

I also heard that both Hone and Rachel, 2 original characters, will be back in the future.

[Jez]

Actually Rachel might not be an original character but she was there close to the start I seem to remember.

[*Ishtar*]

I decided to give this a chance because quite a few cast members were in my favourite childhood TV show that I recently rewatched (The Tribe).

The main Tribe one there at the mintue is Fleur Saville (Libby Jeffries), she played Ruby in Tribe 5.


Can't say I'm bothered when I miss SS, but I watch it if I catch it.

[Jez]

Im still enjoying it - its very much how SS was when it first started and I can see some of the new cast are clones of the original cast - e.g. Libby reminds me of Minnie Crozier and her mother reminds me of Marj Neilson. But the storylines and stuff going on between the staff at the clinic etc are simular to the SS we know from before.

Its on a bit too much to keep up with but I guess they are trying to catch up with NZ and if its a success they will buy more eps. I record it and sometimes flick through but by FF the ads its only about 45 mins a day.

[sootycat]

I am really enjoying it and it seems to be a bit grittier than when I watched it before.
I was sorry Claire got killed.

I was quite surprised at the 'near the knuckle' language they use.
I'm sure half of the words would get bleeped out in a UK soap. ;D

[Jez]

When SS was shown on ITV they used to edit out all the bad language!

[Nick]

I remember watching this years ago...one of the hospital sisters was played by the woman who played Teen tearaway Maxine in Prisoner Cell Block H

[sootycat]

Thats right Nick, she ended up giving birth to triplets, the father was Chris Warner.
That bloke has certainly got through women ;D

[Jez]

Apparently Chris was a sperm doner tho rather than having a fling with Carrie!

ive noticed this week they have changed the time from 3pm to 12noon - i wonder if its in trouble already?

[sootycat]

And this week it isn't on the main Living channel at all but is on Living Loves at 6pm.
I reckon this is a way of getting rid and they will just show the episodes they have and not buy in any more.

They would have been better to show it from where it left off in the UK when we all knew who the characters were. !

[Jez]

Possibly but with it being 7 years since it was last shown im not sure it would have made much difference had they picked up where it left off. Plus they would be around 9 years behind NZ episodes.

I wonder how many eps Living have bought.

[Jez]

Living have confirmed that the reason it isnt on their main channel is because of poor ratings but it wasnt given much of a chance IMO.

I cant see them buying more episodes once the initial contract ends, not just for Living Loves. I wonder how many episodes they have bought?

[sootycat]

It appears it is being axed from from Living from 29th October, not given it much of a chance have they.

[Jez]

I contacted Living and they confirmed it is true. Looks like they bought 100 episodes and got through them quite quickly with their 10 episodes per week.

I dont think I will bother watching the final 2 weeks, whats the point in investing time in this if its to be pulled mid storyline yet again.

[sootycat]

It's sad really. It's a shame they didn't let us see the end of the Ferndale serial killer at least.

[Jez]

I havent watched the last 2 weeks, like I said i didnt see the point and there was other stuff on TV I preferred to watch. It is a shame its ended but there is someone uploading episodes to You Tube from the RTE screenings, not sure what stage they are at in the storylines (think they are behind Living eps) so if thats any use to you?

Personally I doubt I will go to the effort to watch it online.