
STV has acquired rights to New Zealand medical drama Shortland Street for its STV Player streaming service and will launch the series on February 17th.
The free streaming app is available across the UK on all major platforms, including Sky Q, NOW, Virgin Media, Amazon Fire TV and Freeview Pla and offers a library of comedy, drama and factual titles.
Shortland Street is New Zealand’s longest-running drama, having first broadcast in the country in May 1992 and aired continuously since then on state broadcaster, TVNZ.
The series is focused on staff working at Shortland Street Hospital in the fictional Auckland suburb of Ferndale and follows all the drama they face on a daily basis – both in their professional and personal lives.
Following its annual festive break, the drama has been revamped for 2025 with several new characters, storylines and even more heart-thumping drama – making this the perfect jumping-in point for UK viewers.
The show has served as a training ground for dozens of actors who’ve gone on to enjoy major international screen success, including KJ Apa (Riverdale), Karl Urban (Star Trek) and Temuera Morrison (The Mandalorian).
STV acquired UK rights from All3Media International.
Richard Williams, Managing Director of Digital at STV, said: “In New Zealand and several other international territories, Shortland Street has become a cultural phenomenon, so it’s a major coup for us to be able to make STV Player its UK home.
“The show is a magical blend of ‘just-one-more-episode’ drama, good-natured humour, warmth and topicality – everything we know STV Player viewers look for when choosing their next TV obsession.
“With Doctors concluding last year, there’s a gap in the telly market for a regular medical drama. We think Shortland Street has all the ingredients to not only fill that void, but also find its own distinctive place in viewers’ hearts among the British and Australian soaps they already know and love.”
Amanda Stevens, VP Global Digital Partnerships at All3Media International, added: “We are thrilled to partner with STV Player to launch the brand new season of the iconic medical soap, Shortland Street.
“There’ll be new cast members, intense storylines, and three explosive new episodes available every week.”