It’s been a rollercoaster week for Shortland Street fans, but on Monday (January 25) night’s episode, the much-loved character of Wendy Cooper will be laid to rest.
For six years the nurse has been a fan favourite, which made her death all the more shocking last week, when she died from a brain haemorrhage after being shot during a siege of the hospital.
But tonight the Coopers – husband Murray and Wendy’s children Bella, Evan, Jasmine as well as the Jenkins, Dayna and Kane, of whom she was a mother figure – will bid Wendy farewell.
Actress Jacquie Nairn says the funeral is particularly special, as all Wendy’s children will be at the funeral – including those who have already left the show.
“Often relatives of the characters who die are ‘busy’ or ‘away doing other things’, but that Pearl and Tyler came back makes the funeral so much more profound,” says Jacquie. “They’ve gotten so much older. It’s been 18 months since we’ve seen Evan, and two and a half years since we’ve seen Jasmine, so that’s really cool.”
While saying goodbye to her character was a difficult and emotional time, Jacquie says she’s pleased that Wendy went out with such a bang. “A lot of actors will say when they leave for good, they want the shock value of an exit that will rock the audience,” she shares. “I’d far rather she got shot in the cafeteria siege that no one will forget, than get on a plane to go visit her daughter Jasmine in Australia and just disappear.”
Read our full interview with Jacquie Nairn in this week’s issue of the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly – including all the behind the scenes details of her final days on the show and her exciting new career plans!
