Kirsty Knight (character)
Encyclopedia
Kirsty Knight is a fictional character on the New Zealand
soap opera
Shortland Street
and was portrayed by Angela Dotchin
as part of the 1992 original cast up until 1998.
Originally appearing as the clinic's blonde bombshell teenage receptionist, the character was a love interest for heart throb Stuart Neilson
(Martin Henderson
) but by the time the character departed after 6 years, was a major character in the soap opera. Known for her "Secret Squirrel
" storylines, Kirsty was the forefront of the show in numerous storylines such as an attempted rape
at the hands of villain Darryl Neilson
(Mark Ferguson
), exposing two murderers, a hugely popular romance with fan favourite Lionel
(John Leigh) and for her comedic pairing with eccentric receptionist Marj Neilson (Elizabeth McRae
). The character left the show in 1998 when she fell in love with arch nemesis Darryl's twin, Damien (Mark Ferguson).
The character was hugely popular and is remembered for her iconic storylines, mainly her romance with Lionel and her initial appearance as the "Blonde Bombshell" archetype that would become a recurring characterisation throughout the show's history. Dotchin was nominated for two New Zealand Film and TV Awards
for "Best Actress" throughout her run on the soap.
as the man who created Kirsty. The character was set to debut in a storyline that saw Kirsty have a crush on teenager Stuart Neilson
, only for Stuart to come out gay. However the producers pulled the storyline at the last minute and Stuart was instead written as heavily religious.
, Marj's (Elizabeth McRae
) teenage son Stuart Neilson
(Martin Henderson
). The two had a brief flirtation but the Catholic
Stuart refused to have sex. Kirsty moved onto his brother, Darryl
(Mark Ferguson
) who Stuart warned Kirsty was dangerous. After being rejected by Kirsty, Darryl attempted to rape her. Kirsty and Stuart finally had sex when Stuart went into a depression. Kirsty considered leaving the hospital to work for Noel Sturgess (Martyn Sanderson
), but stayed for Stuart.
In 1993 Stuart continued to reject Kirsty and she started to date much older man, Shane (Richard Hanna) but she was shocked when Darryl makes his return to the clinic. Kirsty helped clear Stuart of burglary but found herself unfulfilled dating Shane and they broke up. In 1994 Kirsty lost her job following being framed for robbery by Katherine Blake (Margaret Umbers) but soon got rehired when Kirsty unveiled Katherine as a murderer. She dated Greg Feeney
(Tim Balme
) but he fled and left Kirsty with an HIV
scare. Good friend Lionel Skeggins
(John Leigh) supported her through the ordeal, but Kirsty returned to Greg. It did not last however and Kirsty and Lionel reconciled and decided to marry. However mid way through the ceremony, Stuart interrupted and pronounced his love, prompted by Darryl.
Despite Stuart's intervention, the two married shortly after in 1995. The marriage started to turn rocky however and when Lionel fell into a coma due to Darryl's dodgey drugs, Kirsty confronted her nemesis on a boat, only for Darryl to drown. Following a trip to Hollywood, Kirsty and Lionel fell out and separated. They reconciled only for a truck to ram into the hospital, giving Kirsty severe amnesia and forgetting ever loving Lionel. She moved back onto badboy Greg. Kirsty realized Greg was still a junkie and returned to Lionel, with 1996 ending on the two's kiss.
In 1997 the couple realized the marriage was truly over and separated once again. Kirsty revealed Ian (David Press) as a killer and nearly got murdered. When she and Lionel were called to visit Lionel's father Wilbur (Ian Mune
), Kirsty decided to divorce Lionel, only for the small plane they were in to plummet to the ground. In 1998 the two survived the crash and divorced. Kirsty was horrified when Darryl's twin brother Damien (Mark Ferguson
) arrived to the street, however Damien was nothing like his brother and when he suffered extreme burns in a fire, Kirsty realized she was in love. The two moved to Wellington together to be closer to Marj.
had faked the abduction of his own children, this resulted in Darryl manipulating brother Stuart
into breaking up Kirsty and Lionel
's wedding as revenge, one of the character's and the soap itself, most iconic storylines. Another iconic storyline that was based around the characterisation occurred in 1997 when Kirsty became suspicious of new doctor Ian and suspected him of trying to take over the hospital. Kirsty started to investigate Ian when he was linked to the death of Rebecca and when he was proven to be responsible, Ian attempted to drown Kirsty in a pool.
. Several people involved in production were skeptical that the "Beauty and the Beast
" storyline could actually work, finding it unlikely the glamorous Kirsty would be attracted to the clumsy Lionel. However the unusual pairing was a hit with audiences, becoming part of the classic soap opera archetype of; the couple the audience know should be together even when the characters do not know it themselves. The couple were so successful a novel was released telling the two's story titled "Kirsty and Lionel - Shortland Street Books". The two featured in one of the most iconic moments in the soap's history when the first ever cliffhanger featured on the soap centered around the wedding between the two being interrupted by Kirsty's past lover Stuart Neilson
. The two got through the hiccup but after Kirsty was hit by a truck in another of the soap's iconic storylines, leaving her with amnesia
, she forgot ever loving Lionel and returned to ex boyfriend Greg
. However the two reconciled and the 1996 season ended on their kiss. The two's reconciliation did not last long and the two were admist divorcing when the plane they were in crashed in the 1997 cliffhanger. However in 1998 Lionel finally decided he wanted to be with Kirsty, only to miss her by seconds when she left to live in Ferndale.
listed Kirsty as the 8th best character ever to feature on the show. Dotchin received two nominations in the New Zealand Film and TV Awards
, one in 1994 and another in 1997. Former Shortland Street producer, Tony Holden praised Dotchin, stating; "The issue of stardom is one of publicity and hype and b***, but the issue of what actually makes an actor loved by an audience has got very much to do with the heart and that magic behind the eyes. That girl’s got it." Dotchin received a lot of fan mail, stating in 1996; "Because Kirsty is such a loyal friend I get a lot of letters from teenagers having problems, including several from England. I think they can relate to Kirsty and they're interested in how she deals with her problems."
The storyline of Kirsty discovering her lost engagement ring inside a fish prompted Listener television reviewer Diana Wichtel to award it the "Most Improbable Storyline" in her 15-year reviewing of the show. While Kirsty and Lionel's romance is remembered as one of the most iconic storylines to ever feature on the soap. Kirsty left behind a legacy, with the "blonde bombshell" archetype quickly being filled by Minnie after Kirsty's departure.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
and was portrayed by Angela Dotchin
Angela Dotchin
-External links:...
as part of the 1992 original cast up until 1998.
Originally appearing as the clinic's blonde bombshell teenage receptionist, the character was a love interest for heart throb Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
(Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson is a New Zealand actor, well known to American audiences for his starring role in the ABC TV series Off the Map, while remaining known in his home country for his teenage role as Stuart Neilson in the soap opera Shortland Street.-Life and career:Henderson was born in Auckland, New...
) but by the time the character departed after 6 years, was a major character in the soap opera. Known for her "Secret Squirrel
Secret Squirrel
Secret Squirrel is a cartoon created by Hanna-Barbera. Secret Squirrel was one of two co-stars of The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show, which debuted in 1965. He was given his own show in 1966, but was reunited with Atom Ant for one more season in 1967...
" storylines, Kirsty was the forefront of the show in numerous storylines such as an attempted rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
at the hands of villain Darryl Neilson
Darryl Neilson
Darryl Neilson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. Darryl was portrayed by Mark Ferguson from 1992 to the characters death in 1995....
(Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson is a New Zealand-based Australian actor and television presenter.-Biography:Ferguson was born in Sydney, Australia, in family of Scottish ancestry . He attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art and graduated in 1981...
), exposing two murderers, a hugely popular romance with fan favourite Lionel
Lionel Skeggins
Lionel Skeggins was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by John Leigh and after making his debut as a guest character in 1993, he returned from 1994 to the character's disappearance in 1999 as a core cast member....
(John Leigh) and for her comedic pairing with eccentric receptionist Marj Neilson (Elizabeth McRae
Elizabeth McRae
Elizabeth McRae is a New Zealand actress, best known for her portrayal of Marjorie Brasch on the soap opera Shortland Street from 1992 until 1996 with further appearances in 1998 and 2002.Elizabeth's daughter Katherine is also an actress...
). The character left the show in 1998 when she fell in love with arch nemesis Darryl's twin, Damien (Mark Ferguson).
The character was hugely popular and is remembered for her iconic storylines, mainly her romance with Lionel and her initial appearance as the "Blonde Bombshell" archetype that would become a recurring characterisation throughout the show's history. Dotchin was nominated for two New Zealand Film and TV Awards
New Zealand Film and TV Awards
The New Zealand Film and TV Awards were awarded in New Zealand from 1986 through 2003, and were supplanted by the New Zealand Film Awards.-Film Awards:In 2003 film awards were given in the following categories:*Best Film*Best Actor*Best Actress...
for "Best Actress" throughout her run on the soap.
Creation and casting
Kirsty was created as part of the original core cast of the show, being a teenager so that young audiences could relate to the show. Original producer Caterina De Nave credits storyline supervisor Jason DanielJason Daniel
Jason Daniel is an Australian writer and producer with extensive experience working in TV drama. He was a writer on Neighbours before going to New Zealand and helping set up Shortland Street as a story editor. He then worked in Europe, Asia and Africa for a number of years before returning to...
as the man who created Kirsty. The character was set to debut in a storyline that saw Kirsty have a crush on teenager Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
, only for Stuart to come out gay. However the producers pulled the storyline at the last minute and Stuart was instead written as heavily religious.
1992-1998
Kirsty was shown to be attracted to her co receptionist at the clinicShortland Street Hospital
Shortland Street Hospital is a fictional hospital which is the main setting for the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street...
, Marj's (Elizabeth McRae
Elizabeth McRae
Elizabeth McRae is a New Zealand actress, best known for her portrayal of Marjorie Brasch on the soap opera Shortland Street from 1992 until 1996 with further appearances in 1998 and 2002.Elizabeth's daughter Katherine is also an actress...
) teenage son Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
(Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson is a New Zealand actor, well known to American audiences for his starring role in the ABC TV series Off the Map, while remaining known in his home country for his teenage role as Stuart Neilson in the soap opera Shortland Street.-Life and career:Henderson was born in Auckland, New...
). The two had a brief flirtation but the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Stuart refused to have sex. Kirsty moved onto his brother, Darryl
Darryl Neilson
Darryl Neilson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. Darryl was portrayed by Mark Ferguson from 1992 to the characters death in 1995....
(Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson is a New Zealand-based Australian actor and television presenter.-Biography:Ferguson was born in Sydney, Australia, in family of Scottish ancestry . He attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art and graduated in 1981...
) who Stuart warned Kirsty was dangerous. After being rejected by Kirsty, Darryl attempted to rape her. Kirsty and Stuart finally had sex when Stuart went into a depression. Kirsty considered leaving the hospital to work for Noel Sturgess (Martyn Sanderson
Martyn Sanderson
Martyn Sanderson was a New Zealand actor, filmmaker and poet.Sanderson was one of the founders of Downstage Theatre in 1964 in Wellington, with a vision of a small professional company performing challenging works in an intimate venue...
), but stayed for Stuart.
In 1993 Stuart continued to reject Kirsty and she started to date much older man, Shane (Richard Hanna) but she was shocked when Darryl makes his return to the clinic. Kirsty helped clear Stuart of burglary but found herself unfulfilled dating Shane and they broke up. In 1994 Kirsty lost her job following being framed for robbery by Katherine Blake (Margaret Umbers) but soon got rehired when Kirsty unveiled Katherine as a murderer. She dated Greg Feeney
Greg Feeney
Greg Feeney is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, who was portrayed by Tim Balme for numerous recurring stints throughout the mid to late nineties....
(Tim Balme
Tim Balme
Timothy Guy Balme is an actor and screenwriter from New Zealand. He's most famous for his roles on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street and Mercy Peak, as well as lead roles in the cult favorites Braindead and Jack Brown Genius...
) but he fled and left Kirsty with an HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
scare. Good friend Lionel Skeggins
Lionel Skeggins
Lionel Skeggins was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by John Leigh and after making his debut as a guest character in 1993, he returned from 1994 to the character's disappearance in 1999 as a core cast member....
(John Leigh) supported her through the ordeal, but Kirsty returned to Greg. It did not last however and Kirsty and Lionel reconciled and decided to marry. However mid way through the ceremony, Stuart interrupted and pronounced his love, prompted by Darryl.
Despite Stuart's intervention, the two married shortly after in 1995. The marriage started to turn rocky however and when Lionel fell into a coma due to Darryl's dodgey drugs, Kirsty confronted her nemesis on a boat, only for Darryl to drown. Following a trip to Hollywood, Kirsty and Lionel fell out and separated. They reconciled only for a truck to ram into the hospital, giving Kirsty severe amnesia and forgetting ever loving Lionel. She moved back onto badboy Greg. Kirsty realized Greg was still a junkie and returned to Lionel, with 1996 ending on the two's kiss.
In 1997 the couple realized the marriage was truly over and separated once again. Kirsty revealed Ian (David Press) as a killer and nearly got murdered. When she and Lionel were called to visit Lionel's father Wilbur (Ian Mune
Ian Mune
Ian Barry Mune, OBE is a New Zealand character actor and director. He co-wrote and starred in Roger Donaldson's first film, Sleeping Dogs. He also directed Came a Hot Friday, which featured comedian Billy T. James as the Tainui Kid, and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, the sequel to Once Were...
), Kirsty decided to divorce Lionel, only for the small plane they were in to plummet to the ground. In 1998 the two survived the crash and divorced. Kirsty was horrified when Darryl's twin brother Damien (Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson is a New Zealand-based Australian actor and television presenter.-Biography:Ferguson was born in Sydney, Australia, in family of Scottish ancestry . He attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art and graduated in 1981...
) arrived to the street, however Damien was nothing like his brother and when he suffered extreme burns in a fire, Kirsty realized she was in love. The two moved to Wellington together to be closer to Marj.
"Secret Squirrel"
Kirsty's storylines often saw the character get herself into serious trouble after taking it upon herself to investigate co workers or friends. The first example of the characterisation occurred in early 1994, when Kirsty became suspicious of doctor Katherine Blake, suspecting her of not being legally qualified. The storyline climaxed in Katherine framing Kirsty for robbery, resulting in Kirsty resigning. One of the key examples of Kirsty's "Secret Squirrel" storyline, was in late 1994 when Kirsty discovered arch nemesis DarrylDarryl Neilson
Darryl Neilson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. Darryl was portrayed by Mark Ferguson from 1992 to the characters death in 1995....
had faked the abduction of his own children, this resulted in Darryl manipulating brother Stuart
Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
into breaking up Kirsty and Lionel
Lionel Skeggins
Lionel Skeggins was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by John Leigh and after making his debut as a guest character in 1993, he returned from 1994 to the character's disappearance in 1999 as a core cast member....
's wedding as revenge, one of the character's and the soap itself, most iconic storylines. Another iconic storyline that was based around the characterisation occurred in 1997 when Kirsty became suspicious of new doctor Ian and suspected him of trying to take over the hospital. Kirsty started to investigate Ian when he was linked to the death of Rebecca and when he was proven to be responsible, Ian attempted to drown Kirsty in a pool.
Kirsty and Lionel
In 1994 Kirsty's romance storyline's drastically changed when producers paired her with the unlikely Lionel SkegginsLionel Skeggins
Lionel Skeggins was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by John Leigh and after making his debut as a guest character in 1993, he returned from 1994 to the character's disappearance in 1999 as a core cast member....
. Several people involved in production were skeptical that the "Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale. The first published version of the fairy tale was a rendition by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune américaine, et les contes marins in 1740...
" storyline could actually work, finding it unlikely the glamorous Kirsty would be attracted to the clumsy Lionel. However the unusual pairing was a hit with audiences, becoming part of the classic soap opera archetype of; the couple the audience know should be together even when the characters do not know it themselves. The couple were so successful a novel was released telling the two's story titled "Kirsty and Lionel - Shortland Street Books". The two featured in one of the most iconic moments in the soap's history when the first ever cliffhanger featured on the soap centered around the wedding between the two being interrupted by Kirsty's past lover Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
. The two got through the hiccup but after Kirsty was hit by a truck in another of the soap's iconic storylines, leaving her with amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
, she forgot ever loving Lionel and returned to ex boyfriend Greg
Greg Feeney
Greg Feeney is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, who was portrayed by Tim Balme for numerous recurring stints throughout the mid to late nineties....
. However the two reconciled and the 1996 season ended on their kiss. The two's reconciliation did not last long and the two were admist divorcing when the plane they were in crashed in the 1997 cliffhanger. However in 1998 Lionel finally decided he wanted to be with Kirsty, only to miss her by seconds when she left to live in Ferndale.
Reception
In 2002, a list compiled by The New Zealand HeraldThe New Zealand Herald
- External links :* * *...
listed Kirsty as the 8th best character ever to feature on the show. Dotchin received two nominations in the New Zealand Film and TV Awards
New Zealand Film and TV Awards
The New Zealand Film and TV Awards were awarded in New Zealand from 1986 through 2003, and were supplanted by the New Zealand Film Awards.-Film Awards:In 2003 film awards were given in the following categories:*Best Film*Best Actor*Best Actress...
, one in 1994 and another in 1997. Former Shortland Street producer, Tony Holden praised Dotchin, stating; "The issue of stardom is one of publicity and hype and b***, but the issue of what actually makes an actor loved by an audience has got very much to do with the heart and that magic behind the eyes. That girl’s got it." Dotchin received a lot of fan mail, stating in 1996; "Because Kirsty is such a loyal friend I get a lot of letters from teenagers having problems, including several from England. I think they can relate to Kirsty and they're interested in how she deals with her problems."
The storyline of Kirsty discovering her lost engagement ring inside a fish prompted Listener television reviewer Diana Wichtel to award it the "Most Improbable Storyline" in her 15-year reviewing of the show. While Kirsty and Lionel's romance is remembered as one of the most iconic storylines to ever feature on the soap. Kirsty left behind a legacy, with the "blonde bombshell" archetype quickly being filled by Minnie after Kirsty's departure.