Shorty weddings leave big impression

These letters are in response to an editorial by Julie Eley asking readers to name their most memorable Shortland Street wedding. After a random draw, D. Pitman of Auckland wins the six-month subscription to TV Guide.

The most memorable wedding from Shortland Street has to be that of Kirsty Knight and Lionel Skeggins. They’d had a tumultuous road to the altar, with the wedding being called off due to a misunderstanding involving Kirsty’s ex, Stuart Neilson. This was eventually sorted out and the wedding was back on. Even a media circus at the wedding venue caused by the exposure of Kirsty’s matron of honour Gina Rossi-Dodds as the internationally famous star of soap opera Tides Of The Heart was no great hindrance to the wedding. Unfortunately, Stuart’s brother – the dastardly Darryl Neilson who had once tried to sexually assault Kirsty and still held a grudge – had gotten into Stuart’s ear and manipulated him into stopping the wedding. As Kirsty and Lionel exchanged vows, Stuart stood up to object... and then viewers had to wait two weeks as Shortland Street went on its first ever end-of-year hiatus at the end of 1994. In the first episode of 1995, an enraged Lionel walked out, followed soon after by Kirsty who had barely acknowledged Stuart’s declaration of love. By the end of the episode, Kirsty and Lionel had reconciled and finally married in a private ceremony with only Gina and her husband Leonard (Lionel’s best man) in attendance. As for the rejected Stuart, he left Ferndale not long afterwards.

D. Pitman (Auckland)

Chris Warner and Toni Thompson’s wedding. That’s what I picked.

l. Baudry (Paeroa)

I have been an avid watcher of Shortland Street since day one (May 25, 1992). As a nurse myself I can relate to most hospital situations. The most memorable wedding for me was Dawn and Ali’s wedding in 2018, simply because of Dawn’s famous aunties (Lynda and Jools Topp) – another great fave of mine.

Jan Laws (Upper Hutt)