HB man new Shorty star

Hawke's Bay lad Cameron Jones, will become a household name after making his debut on cult television show Shortland Street this Monday.

He will play the role of Dallas Adams, a good looking, twenty-something ambulance officer from Orewa - who is old fashioned and from the right side of the tracks.

This rather naive character also comes with baggage in the form of trust issues due to a bad break up, and a past accident which Jones was unable to go into.

"He's not very trusting of people which is quite ironic because people have to trust him with their lives. He only trusts himself which makes him a great ambulance officer because he's very dedicated and committed."

Shortland Street fans can also expect to see an adventurous side to Dallas - he is into base jumping and has been described as a likeable character.

"There's a sentence in the character brief which I really like - he's that guy that everyone invites to the party. "

Having finished at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School in Wellington last November, Jones kept busy with various roles including a small part in The Hobbit Two, a TV mini series and a TV movie, before his agent signed him up for a new challenge.

"I'm really happy to get into Shortland Street, it's such a great platform for New Zealand actors. Being in the industry and in front of a camera every day, you could not ask for better.

"It's really fast paced so there is no room to get lazy, it's been really good, everyone has made me feel very welcome."

Jones was born in Auckland but grew up in Hawke's Bay, attending Parkvale Primary School and Te Mata Primary School, then Havelock North Intermediate and Havelock North High School where he, "caught the acting bug".

"I enjoyed drama because it was a break from the academic stuff. I really wanted to explore it more and there were some really great drama teachers at Havelock North High which I found really exciting."