Chris Warner
Affectionately referred to by fans and the media as "Dr. Love", Chris made his first appearance in the show's first episode by having an affair with his aerobics instructor. This was an infamous and controversial scene. Portrayed as spoiled and from a wealthy family that inherited the hospital that was founded by his father, the character of Chris was characterised by his patronising and illicit manner; contrasted in a 1994 storyline where he became addicted to morphine. Known primarily for romance storyliness, Chris has been married five times and participated in over 20 romances as well as fathering six children. Chris was the first member of the Warner family to join the show and he was joined by half brother Guy Warner (Craig Parker). In later years, Chris became the patriarch of a family unit made up of his sons Harry (Reid Walker) and Phoenix (Geordie Holibar). Chris has been involved in several high profile and highly rated storylines; including a 1994 car crash, nearly getting murdered by his brother in law Dominic Thompson (Shane Cortese), losing his wife to his drug-addicted brother Guy, and ending up in jail after being framed for murder.
List of Shortland Street characters (2004)
Dr. Mark Weston first appeared in an episode set in Fiji. He worked in a clinic there when Chris Warner (Michael Galvin) and Toni McAllister (Laura Hill) visited but it was not long before he landed a job at Shortland Street. He was instantly attracted to Maia Jeffries (Anna Jullienne) and saved her life when his psychopathic friend Hugo Carmont (Fraser Brown) tried to kill her in exchange for Mark's romance. Mark began to date Maia's sister Tania (Faye Smythe) but he cheated on her with school girl Claire Solomon (Emily Robins) which ended the relationship. Mark had a near romance with Toni but reconciled with Tania but when he discovered an addiction to sex when online dating, Tania forced him to seek help. The two married in 2007 but Mark's love for Maia took over and he donated sperm to her behind Tania's back. Mark also landed himself as a lead suspect in several murders that took place. The stress got to him and he cheated on Tania with Meg Harris (Emily Mowbray) at his birthday party before he confessed the truth about his and Maia's child to the Jeffries family. Isolated and wifeless, Mark departed Ferndale for Australia. With the marriage annulled it was later revealed Mark had remarried and had a child.