Joey Henderson

Joey Henderson

Joseph James "Joey" Henderson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street who was portrayed by Johnny Barker from mid 2007 to early 2008.

Arriving in June 2007 as an eager yet awkward newbie nurse, Joey was a potential love interest for Claire Solomon (Emily Robins). However Claire ended up murdered by an unknown assailant and for the next 6 months, Shortland Street underwent its largest and most dramatic whodunit storyline in its history. After 5 characters were killed off at the hands of a serial killer dubbed; "The Ferndale Strangler", Joey was finally unveiled as the murderer in a dramatic season cliffhanger that saw Joey attempt to murder fan favourite - Tania Jeffries (Faye Smythe). The 2008 season donned the title of "The Killer Season" and the Joey storyline finished in three dramatic episodes airing in early March 2008. Since then Joey has appeared in two flashbacks.

The Ferndale Strangler storyline was hugely praised, with both critics and audiences tuning in to witness the dramatic 9 months that unfolded. Barker was nominated for several awards for his portrayal and the character's death was singled out in a bid for suicide prevention. The Ferndale Strangler storyline has since gone down as one of the most iconic moments of the show.