Bernie Leach

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the New Zealand soap opera ''Shortland Street'' in 1995, by order of first appearance.

Bernie Leach

Bernie Leach first appeared in early 1995 as a voice in a television advertisement promoting his business Bernie’s Bargain Bazaar, mocked by nurses Ellen Crozier (Robyn Malcolm) and Carmen Roberts (Theresa Healey). Later that week Ellen rescued Bernie from drowning at the beach. The pair ended up in a short relationship. His younger brother Billy (Darren Young) soon joined the clinic as a doctor.

Ellen was shocked when her sister Carla ( Elisabeth Easther) began to date Bernie. The two soon eloped in what appeared to be an already unhappy marriage. The relationship continued to grow toxic due to his alcoholism and her manipulative manner. To ensure he would not leave her, Carla faked a pregnancy and subsequently a miscarriage after a minor car-crash whilst teaching her niece Minnie Crozier (Katrina Devine) to drive. When Ellen reveals to Bernie that Carla was unable to have children since her teenage years and thus had been lying, he angrily assaulted her and was arrested; Carla went to stay with her mother. When Bernie returned after being acquitted of assault, Carla promised herself that she would divorce him and take all his money. The two were injured when an earthquake hit Ferndale and a bloodied Bernie insulted Carla, resulting in her battering him to death with a candlestick, framing the scene to look like a casualty from the quake. Bernie’s death was the first onscreen murder on the show.

Tiffany Pratt

Nurse Tiffany Marinovich (formerly Pratt and Warner) was introduced as a controversial appointment by, and as a potential love interest for, acting clinic director Chris Warner (Michael Galvin) in late January 1995. Tiffany was portrayed by Alison James until 1998 when the character’s life support is turned off following a fall leaving her brain dead, and the birth of her daughter Maria.

Lulu Chatfield

Louise “Lulu” Chatfield first arrived in early 1995, having become good friends with Stuart Neilson (Martin Henderson) after his short holiday away from Ferndale. It was soon revealed Lulu was a self-harming, teenage runaway, having been sexually abused by her father Andrew (Geoffrey Snell). Stuart's mother Marj (Elizabeth McRae) fostered Lulu alongside her husband Laurie (Chich Littlewood) and Lulu became good friends with Minnie Crozier (Katrina Devine). Lulu began to date James Thornton (Chris Dykzeul) but was devastated when her father was acquitted of his charges of molestation and tried to hunt her down. He was arrested and Lulu broke up with James when he kissed Minnie. In 1996 Lulu departed with Marj and Laurie to live in Wellington.

Billy Leach

Dr Billy Leach was a major reoccurring character featured across the middle of 1995, introduced as the adopted brother of Bernie Leach (Timothy Bartlett) and ended up in a love triangle with nurse Tiffany Pratt (Alison James) and Dr Chris Warner (Michael Galvin).

Billy first appeared as a blind date for Grace Kwan (Lynette Forday) set up by her friend Ellen Crozier (Robyn Malcolm) who was dating Billy’s brother Bernie. Orphaned at the age of eight, Billy ended up being raised and financially supported by Bernie. Billy was working as a second year house surgeon in Central Hospital’s renal unit. Grace was instantly attracted and soon arranged for Billy to work as a locum at Shortland Street. Meanwhile Billy had developed a crush on Grace’s flatmate Tiffany Pratt.

Tiffany learned that Billy was working extra shifts at Central, which was in violation of his contract at Shortland Street. The situation came to a head when Billy misdiagnosed Lucy Darby's symptoms of illness as merely being a case of the flu and then left the clinic understaffed by going to work a shift at Central. That night a gravely ill Lucy was rushed to the clinic where Grace diagnosed Lucy with meningitis. After learning that Lucy had almost died because of him, Billy quit his job at Central and increased his work at Shortland Street.

Tiffany and Billy became engaged, but their happiness was short-lived when Tiffany was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Tiffany believed that she had contracted the disease when she had a needle stick injury. Billy then learned that a medical school friend had contracted Hepatitis C and possibly passed it on to him when they share needles whilst doing drugs together. Billy had himself tested and learned that he too had the disease. Not wanting to risk his relationship with Tiffany, Billy allowed Tiffany to think she was the one who had passed it onto him. Billy’s sister-in-law Carla ( Elisabeth Easther) had been causing tension between Bernie and Billy, and a long running vendetta against Tiffany. Carla discovered the truth of Billy’s diagnosis and began blackmailing Billy into taking Tiffany away from Ferndale permanently, or she would tell Tiffany the full story. However, Chris revealed the information instead, causing Billy to skip town for good.

Rangi Heremaia

Te Rangitahi "Rangi" Heremaia was portrayed by Blair Strang between 1995 and 2001, with a brief non-canonical cameo as part of 30th anniversary in 2022. Rangi was introduced as a new paramedic partner for Sam Aleni (Rene Naufahu) and known for his relationships with Rachel McKenna (Angela Bloomfield), Rebecca Frost (Luisa Burgess), and Donna Heka (Stephanie Tauevihi). The actor left following a large cast overhaul in 2001, with Rangi written off in a whodunit storyline that saw his body discovered after being missing for weeks.

Carla Crozier

Nurse Carla Crozier (later Leach and Summerfield) portrayed by Elisabeth Easther was a major antagonist from mid 1995 to mid 1996 and again during 2021. The character debuted as a new nurse working at the clinic under her estranged sister Ellen Crozier (Robyn Malcolm) and gained notoriety as the show's first ever on screen murderer, killing her husband Bernie Leach (Timothy Bartlett) during the show’s 1000 episode. The character returned 25 years later as a therapist using the surname Summerfield, who began to treat and manipulate Director of Nursing Nicole Miller-Mullens (Sally Martin) and briefly working at the hospital.

Zac Smith

Zac Smith arrived in a guest role in mid 1995 as the potential love interest for Grace Kwan (Lynette Forday). He returned several months later when he was revealed as the illegitimate half brother of James Thornton (Chris Dykzeul) before he embarked on a scandalous storyline where he dated James' mother and recent widow - Julia Thornton (Elizabeth Hawthorne). Zac returned in 2002, and in a more central role in 2012.

Ana Fa’asolo

Nurse Ana Fa’asolo was the first Pasifika nurse introduced to the show. Along with fellow nurse Harry (Dean O'Gorman), Ana was taken in as a lodger by Lionel Skeggins ( John Leigh) whilst his wife Kirsty (Angela Dotchin) was overseas. When Kirsty returned, she clashed frequently with the headstrong and ambitious Ana. The pair reluctantly team up in mid-1996 as part of a pyramid scheme called New Day.

Harry Martin

Nurse Harry Martin arrived in mid-1995 and was taken in as a lodger by Lionel Skeggins ( John Leigh) whilst Lionel’s Kirsty (Angela Dotchin) was overseas. When Kirsty returned, she clashed frequently with other lodger and fellow nurse Ana (Mary Los’e) but bonded with Harry. Harry quickly developed a crush on Kirsty and once she finally separated from Lionel, Harry actively courted her however she fell back in love with Greg Feeney (Tim Balme) whilst suffering from amnesia. Harry’s soon grew close to 15 year old Minnie Crozier (Katrina Devine) much to the concern of her mother, and Harry’s boss, Ellen (Robyn Malcolm).

Tuesday Warner

Tuesday Warner first appeared in late 1995 when she was born to parents - Carmen Roberts (Theresa Healey) and Guy Warner (Craig Parker) in a storm. The following year Tuesday was diagnosed with a brain tumour and she and Guy were forced to go to America for it to be operated on. The two returned 11 years later and it was soon clear to Guy's brother Chris (Michael Galvin), that Tuesday was covering up Guy's drug addiction. They fled Ferndale but upon their return 6 months later, got into a devastating car crash. Tuesday began to attend high school and developed a crush on Wiremu Potae (Scott Cotter) but it was unrequited and she ended up returning to America with Guy.

Caroline Buxton

Caroline Buxton (Tandi Wright) was introduced in late 1995 as a private, palliative care nurse for the dying Sir Bruce Warner ( Ken Blackburn) and went on to be a core cast member for the rest of the 1990s. Caroline joined the clinic as a receptionist in early 1996 and later became a staff nurse. Caroline’s two key storylines are the 1997 euthanasia plot and her 1999 lesbian affair with Dr Laura Hall (Larissa Matheson). Caroline departed Ferndale in early 2000, pregnant and on the run with her on again / off again boyfriend Greg Feeney (Tim Balme).

Emily Devine

Emily Devine arrived to the clinic as a new pathologist in late 1995, and stayed until 1997 when after uncovering a breakthrough medicine, Emily was headhunted for a pharmaceutical company in Switzerland. The actress Michaela Rooney continued to work on the show as a storyliner and editor before returning on screen as Emily in 2019 and 2020, portraying her as living with early-onset dementia, suffering significant memory loss and having been homeless for several years.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Shortland Street Characters
1995
*, Shortland Street