[3] Michael, the Director of Shortland Street, supported nursing manager, Carrie Burton (Lisa Crittenden) through her accusation of murder and the two got together.

The arrival of daughter Rachel McKenna (Angela Bloomfield) put an end to the relationship and Michael soon found himself reuniting with estranged wife, Alex (Liddy Holloway).

Michael was shocked and disappointed when he learned his son Jonathon (Kieren Hutchison) was gay, but ended up saving him and his boyfriend Jamie (Karl Urban) from a group of homophobes.

In 2014, Rachel used her large inheritance from Michael to start a charitable surgery company named McKenna House in his honour.

Producers realized there would be a notable gap in demographics and the decision was made to expand on the already established character of hospital CEO, Michael McKenna.

[5] A writer of the show, Liddy Holloway, was cast as Michael's estranged wife Alex McKenna and Gittins would often joke that she wrote her character the best lines.

[7] The character of Jonathon was written as gay and the storyline proved both controversial and groundbreaking, with Michael's reluctance to accept his son highly topical.

[9] In 2017, stuff.co.nz journalist Fleur Mealing named Michael as the fifth character she most wanted to return for the show's 25th anniversary, citing the possibility that he survived his death.