Shortland Street Heads to STV Player

The New Zealand medical drama Shortland Street is slated to debut in the U.K. on the free streaming service STV Player.

Shortland Street premiered in May 1992 and has aired continuously since then on state broadcaster TVNZ. STV Player becomes the first-ever U.K. streaming service to air brand new episodes of Shortland Street in line with the New Zealand broadcast.

Three new episodes of Shortland Street will land on STV Player every Monday from February 17.

Following its annual festive break, Shortland Street has been revamped for 2025 with a number of new characters and fresh storylines.

The show has aired sporadically in the U.K. since its inception, but no current episodes have aired in the country since 2010. It is returning to U.K. screens as part of STV Player’s new deal with All3Media International.

Michael Galvin, who is the longest-serving soap actor in New Zealand, having played the character of Dr. Chris Warner in Shortland Street since its first episode, said: “Kia ora, U.K.! I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that Shortland Street is coming to your shores.

“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 that it’s now going to be part of the British soap landscape alongside legendary shows like Coronation Street and Emmerdale is a real honor.

“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…”