Conan O’Brien’s Shortland Street cameo: US TV star the ‘perfect foil’ for Dr Chris Warner

Shortland Street's new famous face (left) with actor Michael Galvin (Dr Chris Warner) on the set of the popular soap. Photo / South Pacific Pictures

THREE KEY FACTS

• US comedian and former Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien will star as a doctor in an upcoming episode of Shortland Street.
• O’Brien was in Aotearoa during September, understood to be filming his travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go. He also attended the world’s largest Haka record-setting at Eden Park.
• The episode will air at 7pm on December 12 on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+.

A new doctor will grace the hallowed halls of Ferndale’s Shortland Street Hospital on December 12, this time in the form of Emmy-award-winning comedian and talk show host Conan O’Brien.

The comedy legend, famous for his Late Night and Tonight Show hosting roles, described the experience of playing a “successful surgeon” on the popular soap as “a blast”.

“Now comes the hard part – convincing my parents it was a documentary,” he shared in an exclusive statement to the Herald.

US TV star Conan O'Brien plays Dr Aiden Archer in an upcoming episode of Shortland Street. Photo / South Pacific Pictures

Not much is known about the character O’Brien plays, but we do know he’s called Dr Aiden Archer and is described by producer Oliver Driver as a great character to bounce off Shorty stalwart Dr Chris Warner (played by Michael Galvin).

“Conan was a joy to have on the show,” Driver said, adding that the cast and crew would host the superstar again “in a heartbeat”.

Shortland Street producer Oliver Driver (right) with Conan O'Brien. Photo / South Pacific Pictures

“His interactions with the cast and crew were warm and generous and the character he created for us was the perfect foil for Chris Warner”

Galvin, who plays Dr Chris Warner, described the experience of acting alongside O’Brien as a “real buzz”.

Conan O'Brien arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere of Max Original Travel Series Conan O'Brien Must Go. Photo / Kevin Winter, Getty Images

“He was brilliant to work with- very focussed and funny – but probably the part I enjoyed the most was just chatting with him between takes,” the Shorty Street favourite said.

“He’s done so much amazing stuff and is so interesting but also really friendly – he makes a point of putting you at ease. Definitely a contender for my favourite Shorty moment.”

South Pacific Pictures said O’Brien filmed his scenes “earlier in the year”.

O’Brien may well have filmed his scenes around September, when he was in the country and understood to be filming his new travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go.

He was also spotted at Auckland’s Eden Park around this time, helping host the record-setting attempt to complete the world’s largest haka.

US comedian Conan O'Brien with actor Michael Galvin (Dr Chris Warner) on the set of Shortland Street. Photo / South Pacific Picture

There, he could be seen sharing a laugh with Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi and others as the record was confirmed.

O‘Brien joins a long list of international and national celebrity cameos to make an appearance on the show, which first aired in May 1992 and is New Zealand’s longest-running drama.

Ed Sheeran (centre) on the set of Shortland Street.

Grammy-award-winning singer Ed Sheeran famously made an appearance in 2014 and even performed a brief song on the show.

It was reported that Sheeran saw a bit of the show last time he was in New Zealand and was quick to say yes to the opportunity to introduce his talents to a primetime audience.

Other famous faces to pop up in cameo roles include Ex-Prime Ministers Helen Clark and Jenny Shipley, supermodel Rachel Hunter and Kiwi hip-hop icon Savage.

Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.