Shortland Street - The Podcast: How to create the perfect soap opera family

Reuben Milner (right) stars as Jack Hannah on Shortland Street - the only surviving member after the on-screen deaths of his siblings and father! Photo / Supplied

The Warners, the McKennas, the Nielsons, the Coopers, the Hannahs - every generation of Shortland Street fan has the family unit they remember fondly.

In amongst the medical drama and unfolding crimes, there have been countless families that have shown up over the last 30 years that have found a place in living rooms across the country.

On today's episode of Shortland Street's official companion podcast, host Kura Forrester revisits some iconic Shorty families with Reuben Milner, who stars as Jack Hannah, and Sam Bunkall, whose character Boyd Rolleston left the show with an extended soap family.

They discuss the eerie ways their characters have reflected their lives, what it's like bonding with your fictional family - and what to do when they all get killed off.

Jacqui Nairn, who played nurse Wendy Cooper, also discusses how her on-screen family connected after having dinner together before filming to get to know each other.

"From that very first night, we all felt bonded. And it just grew from there. You end up spending more time with your Shorty family than people in your real life ... so you get to know people incredibly well."

The podcast is also joined by Katherine, the mother of actor James Allan, who plays Drew and Harper's son Marley on Shortland Street. She discusses what went into him getting cast and what it's like seeing your child acting on the country's most popular drama.

She said that she occasionally reads the comments online where some question what impact the mature storylines are having on her son.

"It's a fair comment. [Marley has] had rheumatic fever, he's been kidnapped, his father's died, his mother's in prison ...

"He is a child and he has a very happy disposition, so he seems to be able to separate the reality from the fiction."

Katherine said that James is already expecting not to be on Shortland Street permanently - but is already planning a comeback storyline as a doctor in the future.

A new episode of the podcast will be released every Thursday. Subscribe to ensure you don't miss out on any of the action.

You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.