Former Juice TV presenter joins Shortland Street cast

The Juice TV presenter formerly known as "Verge" has joined the cast of TV2 soap Shortland Street.

Virginie Le Brun began filming as new head of surgery Dr Gabrielle Jacobs a few weeks ago and will debut on screens during March.

The character of Gabrielle Jacobs will have Aspergers Syndrom, a type of high-functioning autism that has seen her do well in her career, but not helped with her social life.

Virginie Le Brun has also featured as a presenter on kids show What Now?

TV Guide's Shortland Street spoiler - Maia Jeffries killed Ethan Pierce

In a suprising move, the TV Guide has today revealed that it was nurse Maia Jeffries (Anna Julienne) who shot surgeon Ethan Pierce (Owen Black) dead in last year's season finale of TV2's Shortland Street.

The TV Guide says that in tonight's episode of Shortland Street Alice Piper (Toni Potter) will undergo hypnotherapy that reveals Maia was the shooter. Alice had previously been unable to remember who else was at the house as she was extremely intoxicated at the time.

In a Media Fetish poll, Maia was the third choice as Ethan's killer - after Brooke Freeman (Beth Allen) and Alice.

The story features the warning "Caution! Spoiler Alert" in the top left corner, however many fans are now expressing their annoyance at the article for ruining the storyline, as the small message in the corner could hardly stop a reader from realising what the article is about (see image above).

It was an interesting move by the TV Guide, and it is not yet clear whether it was a publicity stunt arranged with TVNZ, or if the magazine went against the wishes of the broadcaster in order to increase their own sales.

The character of Maia is still featured in the shows synopsis over the next few weeks, so soap fans who were expecting to see the killer dragged away in chains this week will have to keep waiting!

Poll Result: Shortland Street Homicide

Shortland Street returns tonight at 7pm on TV2 and will dive straight into a 'whodunnit' storyline after the 2008 season finale saw villain Ethan Pierce shot by an unidentified assassin.

Media Fetish ran a poll this month to see who our fans think shot Ethan Pierce, and here are the results:

Who shot Shortland St's Ethan Pierce?
1. Brooke (26%)
2. Alice (24%)
3. Maia (20%
4. Chris (15%)
5. Libby (12%)

BSA upholds a second complaint against Shortland Street

Despite controversial storylines for 15 years, TV2 soap Shortland Street managed to avoid any complaints being upheld by the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA).

This all changed last month when the show received it's first warning over a homosexual love scene. Within weeks of this ruling Shortland Street has been dealt with a second due to unsuitable violence.

Mark Turner of Christchurch complained to the BSA that the episode featuring the death of core character Dr Craig Valentine breached standards of good taste and decency and was not suitable to be screened at 7pm.

The episode saw thugs run Dr Valentine's car off the road and chase him through the bush as he had incriminating evidence against a large pharmaceutical company. The men fought with Dr Valentine before beating him with a baseball bat and then burning him alive in his car.

A PGR warning screened before the show, but the BSA ruled that this episode was unsuitable for children even if accompanied by a parent and that it should have been classified as Adults Only.

However, because the ruling was not made unanimously no penalty will be imposed on TVNZ.

Ferndale Homicide - Who killed Shortland Street's Ethan Pierce?

TVNZ have set up a new website to give Shortland Street fans something to keep them entertained and interested over the summer break.

The finals episode for the year on December 19th saw an unidentified character shoot villain Dr Ethan Pierce to death in his home.

The storyline will continue when the soap returns in late January, but until then interrogation videos will be released every couple of days on the Ferndale Homicide website. This makes me wonder whether the show will continue from the day of Ethan's death when it returns, or from the case having been run for a month.

Seven interrogation videos are set to be released at http://www.ferndalehomicide.co.nz/.

Who do YOU think shot Dr Ethan Pierce?

TVNZ in trouble over Shortland Street sex scene

The Broadcasting Standards Authority has for the first time upheld a complaint against TV2 soap Shortland Street. The complaint was made by a Balclutha man over a homosexual romantic encounter.

The scene involved core character Gerald Tippet with old friend Lindsay in the bedroom attempting a sexual encounter before it ended in disaster.

The BSA describes the scene as: "The two characters were shown lying in bed talking, covered up to their bare chests by blankets. Lindsay went under the blankets and Gerald nervously asked him 'where are you going?'. Lindsay popped his head back up and replied 'it’s a surprise' before descending back under but came back up when a ticklish Gerald began giggling. After Lindsay went back under the blankets, Gerald moved suddenly and accidentally hit Lindsay in the face with his knee, giving him a bloody nose."

The complainant said that he would "have had enough of a problem explaining to younger kids what might just be happening under the bed clothes if that had been a heterosexual couple".

The BSA stated that any sexual content in children's viewing time should be discreet and able to go over the heads of children, but decided that this particular scene did not consider the interests of children by making the sexual nature so ambiguous.

They said that the fact it involved a homosexual encounter did not affect the ruling and that a similar scene involving a heterosexual couple would have been as equally inappropriate.

However, I can think of many Shortland Street heterosexual sex scenes that were equally as unambiguous. One example is a scene with Sarah Potts and Craig Valentine which I am pretty sure also saw one of the characters move their head down the others body. The problem is that scenes of a homosexual nature probably tend to upset more close minded people - the kind who are likely to complain.

TVNZ drew criticism in April this year for trying to get South Pacific Pictures to drop the homosexual storyline and asked for this particular scene to be re-edited.

However, TVNZ now supported Shortland Street and argued to the BSA that the nightly soap regularly dealt with adult themes, and they also contended the same scene with a heterosexual couple would not have breached broadcasting standards.

The BSA did not impose an order. It said that the decision clarified its expectations surrounding the broadcast of sexual content of this nature during the PGR time-band at 7pm.

SHORTLAND STREET SPOILER: Summary of this Friday's episode

In an embarrassing move TVNZ accidentally uploaded the summaries for the Thursday (11/09/08) and Friday (12/09/08) episodes of Shortland Street before they screened. This Friday's episode has still not yet screened, so Media Fetish brings to you the following spoiler:

Callum arrives back at work, and is awkwardly forced to maintain the pretence of Justine's death. When Chris puts aside his rivalry with Callum to offer his personal condolences, Callum realises how hard it will be to endure peoples' undeserved sympathy.

Similarly, Hunter arrives at work and is taken off-guard by Kieran's expectation that he be in mourning. Chris is outraged that Scott-Spear have killed another friend and colleague, and he vows to Sarah that he will do everything he can to bring them to justice.

But Sarah now fears for her own life, and warns Chris that anyone who has come close to exposing Scott-Spear has ended up dead.

Back at the I.V, Gerald's heart goes out to Hunter when he sees Hunter being jovial with a customer, and assumes Hunter is in deep denial. Morgan is concerned when Gerald updates her on Hunter's strange mood.

Arriving home, Hunter's relief about being out of the public eye is short-lived when Morgan arrives, and he has to fake grief. Morgan consoles Hunter, and in a moment of upset about Justine's absence, Hunter kisses Morgan.

Brooke is concerned for a grief-weary Chris, and offers to cook dinner for him at his home. He is grateful for the company. Ethan overhears Brooke's offer, and is quietly jealous.

Tracey warns Kip that Brooke is in some kind of weird and secret relationship with Ethan. Kip is troubled, but his concern is eclipsed by Sarah's announcement that Justine is dead.

Before Kip and Tracey can ask further questions, she orders them to focus on their new patient - a woman called Jacqui whose face has been disfigured by Botox.

Jacqui reveals that the doctor who wrecked her face is Brooke Freeman. Kip is surprised to confirm this with Brooke, who is privately distressed at her alleged incompetence. She insists on seeing Jacqui immediately.

Brooke feels terrible when a guilty Jacqui worries about being caught-out and rejects her assistance. Ethan is determined to help when Brooke frets about losing her job.

Kip is impressed when Ethan unearths Jacqui's secret - she's been double-dosing on Botox. Brooke is grateful, but Ethan forces her to cancel her date with Chris as payment.

Maia deliberately assigns Tania to the Whitetail's assault victim, Mrs Norton, hoping to confront Tania with the violent truth about her boyfriend.

Although Tania defends Kingi, she is left privately shaken. Determined to help Tania, the Jeffries women give Kingi an ultimatum - give up the gang, or give up Tania.

Tania is furious when Kingi breaks up with her - thanks to her family. The Jeffries women feel they've helped Tania, despite her angry outburst over their meddling in her relationship.

Brand new Shortland Street opening credits

Here they are - what all Shortland Street fans have been waiting for - the new opening credits! You can see them on screen from Monday 8th September.