Jill Kingsbury is a fictional character on the New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 soap opera

Soap opera

A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

 Shortland Street

Shortland Street

Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...

. She is portrayed by Natalie Medlock and arrived to the show in February 2011 as a potential love interest of Daniel Potts

Daniel Potts

Daniel Potts is a fictional character in the soap opera Shortland Street. The role was originated by actor Jarred Blakiston from 2004–2005 and again briefly in 2007 before Ido Drent took over in 2009...

 (Ido Drent).

The character arrived to Shortland Street as a bubbly party girl, though it was soon revealed she had a dark secret. She had served time in prison for an assault her ex boyfriend had committed. Hesitant to settle down in Ferndale, Jill fell in love with Hunter McKay

Hunter McKay

Hunter McKay is a fictional character in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He has been portrayed by Lee Donoghue since he first appeared in December 2006 as part of a new family unit consisting of parents Callum McKay and Justine Jones and younger sister Sophie McKay .The character is gifted...

 (lee Donoghue) and decided to stay for the long term. Within her first year on the show, Jill starred in the high profile love triangle between her, Hunter and his father Callum

Callum McKay

Callum McKay is a fictional character portrayed by actor Peter Mochrie in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He is a doctor and the Chief Executive Officer of Shortland Street Hospital.-Introduction:...

 (Peter Mochrie

Peter Mochrie

Peter Mochrie is an actor who has appeared in various Australian television programs during his 25-year career. Since 2006 Mochrie has starred in the New Zealand soap Shortland Street as Dr Callum McKay....

). The drug addicted Hunter lost out to Callum, culminating in Jill and Callum participating in a mismatched yet extraordinarily successful relationship.

Casting

Brooke Williams auditioned for the role but was considered a better suit for the future role of Lana Jacobs who arrived in August. Rachel Forman also auditioned but was also considered better for a future role, the character of Paige, who arrived in April.

Arrival

It was announced in January 2011 that Jill would be arriving to the show alongside Roimata Ngatai

Roimata Ngatai

Roimata Ngatai is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She is portrayed by Shavaughn Ruakere and has been on the soap since January 2011...

 and that Jill would be "Beautiful, energetic and outgoing". It was also said that Jill would carry some hidden secrets. It was announced Natalie Medlock was to portray Jill, describing the character, she said Jill; "cares a lot about people and doing the right thing. She doesn't always make good decisions, but she tries!"

2011-

Jill arrives in early February to a shocked Daniel Potts

Daniel Potts

Daniel Potts is a fictional character in the soap opera Shortland Street. The role was originated by actor Jarred Blakiston from 2004–2005 and again briefly in 2007 before Ido Drent took over in 2009...

 (Ido Drent) who she briefly dated while in Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

. Daniel's girlfriend, Sophie McKay

Sophie McKay

Sophie Juliette McKay is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was introduced in late 2006 as the daughter of surgeon Justine Jones and GP Callum McKay. She was briefly married to Kieran Mitchell in early 2010 before they separated.-2006-2008:Sophie McKay...

 (Kimberley Crossman

Kimberley Crossman

Kimberley Frances Crossman is a New Zealand actress, dancer and cheerleader who is best known for her role as Sophie McKay on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.-Early life:...

) grows jealous but they become friends when Jill starts to date her brother, Hunter

Hunter McKay

Hunter McKay is a fictional character in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He has been portrayed by Lee Donoghue since he first appeared in December 2006 as part of a new family unit consisting of parents Callum McKay and Justine Jones and younger sister Sophie McKay .The character is gifted...

 (Lee Donoghue). Jill is hesitant to allow ex boyfriend, Regan Ames (George Mason) into her life and Hunter begins to suspect she has sinister secrets. The two grow apart and Jill is comforted by Hunter's father, Callum

Callum McKay

Callum McKay is a fictional character portrayed by actor Peter Mochrie in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He is a doctor and the Chief Executive Officer of Shortland Street Hospital.-Introduction:...

 (Peter Mochrie

Peter Mochrie

Peter Mochrie is an actor who has appeared in various Australian television programs during his 25-year career. Since 2006 Mochrie has starred in the New Zealand soap Shortland Street as Dr Callum McKay....

). Jill reveals to Callum she spent time in prison for an assault Regan performed. Jill and Hunter break up, with Jill quickly moving onto Callum much to a disgusted Hunter.