We look at the surprise wedding set to rock Shortland Street fans.
HE SAYS
Luke Patrick might have won the heart of Ferndale favourite Kylie Brown (Kerry-Lee Dewing) but he knows he has a long way to go with
Shortland Street fans. “I would expect a lot of fans not to accept a bad boy coming in and sweeping her off her feet,” says the Australian actor who plays Frank, the last of Chris Warner’s triplets to arrive seeking Dad.
The couple – who met only a few weeks ago – shock friends, family and fans this week by returning from a brief holiday as husband and wife.
“I’m definitely prepared for fans to be stunned, especially with Frank being a new character coming into Shorty and Kylie’s the it-girl of Shortland Street,” Luke says.
“However, from what I’ve heard from some fans on Instagram, there seem to be a fair few people wanting this to happen.”
The small-town South Australian’s rapid ascent from newcomer to man of the moment has come as a surprise to Luke as well who, until four months ago, had never heard of Shorty Street.
Ironically, it has reunited him with former Sydney acting school alumni Lukas Whiting, who plays his on-screen brother Dr Finn Connelly.
“I was ahead of him at acting school and a few people would come up and say, ‘We just watched your brother in class and he smashed it’,” Luke says.
“I’d say, ‘I don’t have a brother’ and it would always be about Lukas. Now we’re playing brothers on the same TV show.”
Troubled triplet Frank is Luke’s first television role and he is relishing playing the ex-con bad boy who he believes is misunderstood by everyone – except Kylie.
“Frank pretty much caused trouble within 24 hours of being here,” Luke says, adding that fans should not be too quick to judge.
That trouble included breaking into the IV in a warped plan to score a job there, stealing from the till and ‘borrowing’ a car from a customer.
Frank also regularly clashes with his father and fellow triplets, Finn and Sass (Lucy Lovegrove).
It is hardly the resume you would expect for Kylie who has just come out of a relationship with Dr TK Samuels (Benjamin Mitchell) and discovered she has feelings for his workmate – and Frank’s employer – Dr Drew McCaskill (Ben Barrington).
However, Luke says there is a lot that viewers don’t know yet about Frank.
“Frank has a big heart. He’s just been really conflicted most of his life and he’s never felt like he belonged anywhere,” Luke says.
“I think that’s partly what draws Kylie to Frank.
“She’s had all these troublesome relationships and even though there’s doubt within himself about whether he’s good enough, he knows that he’s the right guy for her.”
Luke says he is confident the marriage will go the distance.
“From what I’ve been told, it’s definitely true love and they can withstand anything.”