Shortland Street to air in United Kingdom for first time in 15 years

Shortland Street is returning to UK screens for the first time since 2010. Photo / Andi Crown Photography

Long-running Kiwi medical drama Shortland Street will be aired in the United Kingdom for the first time in over a decade.

The hit TV show, which has been in production since 1992, is one of New Zealand’s most-watched and highest-rated shows. Over 8000 episodes have been produced since its inception, making it the longest-running drama in the country.

The popular soap opera will be introduced to the UK’s on-demand streaming service STV Player on February 17, marking its official return to the country since it last aired 15 years ago.

Shortland Street has already had multiple stints on UK screens, having been included on ITV programmes in various regions from 1993 to 2003, as well as on Sky channels for a brief run in 2010.

The medical soap drama hasn’t aired in the UK since then, as Sky dropped the show from its programme two months after it first debuted on the Sky Living channel.

However, the announcement that Shortland Street is returning to the UK means the British will have access to the latest episodes.

#ShortlandStreet returns to the UK! 🇬🇧 STV Player will be the first-ever UK streaming service to air brand new episodes...

Posted by Shortland Street on Monday 3 February 2025

“Kia ora, UK! I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that Shortland Street is coming to your shores,” said Michael Galvin, the last original cast member still on the show, who plays Dr Chris Warner.

“This little show of ours has become such a huge part of the culture here in New Zealand over the last 33 years, and to know it’s going to be a part of the British soap landscape alongside legendary shows like Coronation Street and Emmerdale is a real honour.

“Strap yourselves in, because if there’s one thing I can tell you about Shorty, it’s that drama is never more than a heartbeat away.”

Michael Galvin as Chris Warner and Bella Kalolo-Suraj as Selina in the Shortland Street 2023 cliffhanger. Photo / South Pacific Pictures

Starting on February 17, three episodes of the show’s latest season will be released every Monday on STV Player.

Set in the imaginary Auckland suburb of Ferndale, Shortland Street follows the personal and professional lives of an ensemble cast centred around work at Shortland Street Hospital.

Amid declining viewership and a drop in advertising revenue, the number of Shortland Street episodes produced have been reduced from five to three, South Pacific Pictures and TVNZ announced last year.

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

The rejigged 2025 season is the first to introduce the cost-cutting measures, although viewers have been promised the show will deliver “fewer, higher impact episodes”.

TVNZ’s chief executive Jodi O’Donnell said at the time: “The TV environment is changing fast and we’re moving with our viewers.

“For some time, we’ve been reimagining what is possible for Shortland Street and we’re delighted to be able to continue the much-loved show with this new, creative format.”