Ahead of Conan O’Brien’s Shortland Street cameo tonight, Alex Casey looks back at some of the more memorable cameos to grace Ferndale.

Nothing signals the festive season better than a tall redhead American late show host visiting our favourite fictional hospital. Tonight, Conan O’Brien will don a pair of grape purple scrubs and appear on Shortland Street in a thrilling celebrity cameo role as Dr Aiden Archer. Little is known about this mysterious character, but producer Oliver Driver told NZ Herald he served as “the perfect foil” to Dr Chris Warner.

Michael Galvin himself said that O’Brien was “brilliant to work with – very focussed and funny” and that the appearance is now in the running for his “favourite Shorty moment”. It’s a controversial statement from the man involved in so many iconic moments himself, and who has played host to many other high profile guests visiting Ferndale. From Rachel Hunter to Ed Sheeran, let us look back at some of the best celebrity cameos Ferndale has seen.

1992: Suzy Aiken gives Dr Love a workout

Establishing its celebrity cameo tradition from the very first episode, Shortland Street invited television host and aerobics instructor Suzy Aiken to give Dr Chris Warner a unique one-on-one training session. Drawing inspiration from that very thrust-y Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta scene in Perfect (1985), Aiken donned a leotard and later met Dr Love in the locker room for a cardio workout too rude to broadcast.

1993: This is a case for… Holmes

After the disappearance of Marj’s husband Tom, it wasn’t long before one of New Zealand’s leading broadcasters was on the case. In 1993, Holmes stormed the Shortland Street reception flanked by a woman with enormous gold earrings. “Oh my goodness,” said Marj, “I’m Marjorie Neilson.” “Marjorie, Paul Holmes,” said Paul Holmes. “Yes I know,” said Marjorie. What a script, what a moment.

1994: Rachel Hunter, change hunter

Long before she was Stacy’s Mom, or even a yoga teacher, Rachel Hunter swung by the Shortland Street set with the most voluminous hair ever committed to the small screen. After asking at reception for change for the parking meter, Hunter was rebuffed by Marj, who told the supermodel that “this is a hospital not a bank.” Soon after, both Dr Ropata and Nick Harrison poured their wallets out for Our Rach. A tip top cameo indeed.

1996: Kevin Milne gives Nick a Fair Go

It begins with Kevin Milne doorstopping Marj and Nick for selling fraudulent window cleaner to the elderly, and it ends with Kevin Milne confronting Nick’s modelling agent (?) for scamming him up the wazoo. “There have been allegations that your business is engaging in some rather dubious practices,” said Milne to the agent, who then refused to be interviewed. “I told you she was dodgy as hell,” said Nick. A Fair Go indeed.

1996: Helen Clark, Jenny Shipley and… Marj

It’s not as if Shortland Street needed approval from our future leaders, but in 1996, we got just that. Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark appeared in an episode where Marj made her heroic exit from… receptionism… into politics, visiting the Beehive to begin her life as an MP. What a special treat to get three of New Zealand’s most powerful women in the same place. Might as well be our own Charlie’s Angels: Clark. Shipley. Marj.

2007: Buck is brought back

During the Ferndale Strangler era there was another infamous personality stalking the halls of Shortland Street. All Black legend Buck Shelford appeared in one episode as a heart attack patient who found himself stuck in a lift. “It was different,” he told NZ Herald at the time. “I did have limited lines. It was a bit of fun. We know it’s just make-believe, don’t we?” That’s one way to justify getting a cheery photo taking with a SERIAL KILLER, Buck.

2008: The IV becomes a Madhouse

When Kieran Mitchell opened The IV Central in 2008, the launch party featured the “who’s who” of Ferndale, which actually meant anyone vaguely famous in Auckland with a few hours to spare. Socialite and Treasure Island alum Aja Rock was there in a fetching white fur stole, whilst boxing legend Shane Cameron brooded next to the bar. Top it all off with Jay-Jay, Mike and Dom, and you’ve got a mid-2000s mad house indeed.

2009: Savage where the cameo at?

In 2009, Nurse Aroha sought talent counsel in the church of Savage, who has been admitted for doing too much swinging or something. Harbouring a secret passion for singing, Nurse Aroha rearranged her whole nursing schedule so she can get one on one time with the ‘Moonshine’ hitmaker. Pretty cool to have Zealand’s second-most notable Savage on the show (Michael Joseph missed out by just a few short decades).

2010: Paul Holmes drags it out

In a surreal turn of events, Paul Holmes rocked onto the Street again in 2010 as actor Leslie Grant, an experienced member of The Ferndale Amateur Dramatic Society. Playing Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, he imparts the sound advice “learn the lines and don’t bump into the furniture” before locking himself in a dressing room, headbutting the door and getting a solid concussion. Olivier wishes.

2011: The All Blacks have a try

“Who do you think you are, more important than a doctor?” Dr Beth bellowed at All Blacks Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric and Keven Mealamu during their 2011 appearance. After blocking in their car, she drops her keys down the drain and the All Blacks (with the random assistance of surly teen Evan Cooper) helpfully LIFT HER CAR INTO THE AIR using their scrum techniques, and then head off to play Tonga. Normal!

2014: Ed Sheeran goes and gets the guitar

Ed Sheeran appeared at the back of the IV in May 2014, just in time for the launch of his album X. After mock-scolding Kane for touching his guitar, he encouraged him to pursue his musical dreams as well as his rugby dreams. Too many dreams? No time to dwell. “I should probably get going,” Sheeran said, mere moments after arriving. And just like that, he was off to another inexplicable soap cameo.

2017: The Spinoff breaks through

Definitely not celebrities but definitely the most famous we’ve ever been. During the explosive 25th anniversary episode, in which Mount Ferndale erupted and ruined Chris Warner’s birthday party, you might have noticed a couple of breathtakingly talented extras playing the role of “concerned party attendee” and “woman skilfully taking off jacket after three failed attempts”. It’s me and Tara Ward, who wrote about here!

2018: A Topp cameo for the ages

It is surely the dream of blushing brides across Aotearoa to have the Topp Twins sing them down the aisle and, in 2018, that was just what Dawn got. “Didn’t know it was royal wedding” said Damo after meeting Dawn’s aunties Jools and Lynda on their farm. “Who’s this joker? Mutton dressed as flowers?” Jools topped replied. Skewered, decimated, destroyed. Once they were done roasting, the Topps put on a sizzling show, culminating in a rousing rendition of ‘Untouchable Girls’ at the barn party.

2019: When Alf Stewart met Chris Warner

Please tell me those are not your flaming crows! Although this one didn’t technically happen on Shortland Street, in 2019 we somehow managed to capture the moment that Home and Away’s Alf Stewart met Shortland Street’s Chris Warner. It was an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force, revealing such insights such as how Alf will die (“of old age in about 20 minutes”) and ad-libbing his “flaming” catchphrases on set (“it’s more established than most of the writers now.”)

2022: A Seven Sharp crossover ep like no other

For Shortland Street’s 30th birthday, TVNZ bent time, space, logic, fact and fiction to have Hilary Barry visit the hospital and interview the characters about the momentous occasion. Barry grilled Chris Warner about pandemic preparedness, bonded with TK Samuels about bean counters and we even got a brief cameo from Rangi and The Ferndale Strangler. “I was having this fangirl moment as well as trying to be an actor,” Barry told The Spinoff, “even though I was playing myself.”

Conan O’Brien appears on Shortland Street tonight, 7pm on TVNZ2.