During pre-production of Shortland Street in the early 1990s, producers planned for original character Stuart Neilson to be an articulate homosexual teenager.

Jamie arrived at Shortland Street, surprising childhood friend Kirsty (Angela Dotchin) with a playful marriage proposal.

However, it would be revealed that Jamie was gay when he was picked up and kissed by his boyfriend Isaac to the shock and dismay of his paramedic partner Sam Aleni (Rene Naufahu).

Jamie ended up leaving the hospital but returned some months later and the teenage Jonathon McKenna (Kieren Hutchison) developed a crush on him that eventually evolved into a relationship.

However, when Jamie decided to move to Christchurch to take up a new role as an Educator with a family planning organisation and travel the world, the two broke up and made peace.