[7] Although he believed he had done poorly, after several takes Mitchell won the role and stated, "There will be a few people who go, 'I know that guy, my gosh he's on Shortland Street, I didn't know he was doing this...last time I saw him he was punching bags in his garage trying to be the champ of the world.

'"[5] In 2005 producer Jason Daniel, promised a "fresh dynamic" would be arriving to the show with the introduction of several new characters, such as "spunky young doctor" TK.

[10] Following surgery on his shoulder in mid 2015, Mitchell struggled to appear mobilised on screen and storylines were rewritten to incorporate his injury into the show.

[11] TK arrived to the hospital in 2006 to greet his cousin Huia (Nicola Kawana) and the immature doctor quickly gained a job in the Emergency Department much to the annoyance of Sarah Potts (Amanda Billing).

TK also got a job in another clinic and briefly dated the receptionist Holly (Miriama McDowell) before he realised he was in love with Sarah.

After moving to the GP clinic he and Sarah got together and married in 2007, shortly after TK reconciled with his estranged mother Liz (Rima Te Wiata).

TK began to date Roimata Ngatai (Shavaughn Ruakere) in the following months but was shocked when Sarah returned, pregnant with his child.

TK hastily proposed to Roimata however the wedding was called off due to the sudden birth of his daughter Matilda Mareikura "Tillie" Potts (Nathan Anderson).

The hospital staff were shocked in November when Roimata was sexually assaulted and TK was continuously harassed by an anonymous attacker.

The attacker drugged TK and he ended up running down Murray Cooper (Matthew Chamberlain), landing him a reckless driving charge.

TK and Roimata soon broke up after it turned out she was having an affair and he had brief romances with Harper Whitley (Ria Vandervis) and Emma Franklin (Amy Usherwood) before reconciling with Sarah after nearly 4 years.

TK later ended up falling for Kylie (Kerry-Lee Dewing), though the courtship proved difficult with the constant manipulations of his long time friend Pania Stevens (Bree Peters).

TK brought back a young woman called Trina, who had helped him look after Tillie but also has a dangerous past.

In 2022, ironically, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer himself, and was thrust into CEO of Shortland Street after Te Rongopai Rameka's insistence.

TK spends sometime recuperating with his family out in countryside whilst Cece accepts a promotion to Director of Nursing at Shortland Street.

TK eventually returns to work as a consultant at Shortland Street’s renovated and reopened ED and Māori-Pacifica Clinic.

In June, TK is offered a senior role in the newly established Māori Health Authority and decides to leave Shortland Street.

With the Health Authority’s job offer controversially rescinded and requiring significant rehabilitation, TK and Cece decide to leave Ferndale with Tillie so he can recover with the support of his extended family in the countryside.

[13] Billing found the break-up uncomfortable to film, stating: "It has been very difficult to play, there are some days when I've thought she's just being a complete twit.

"[23] In October 2012, following the revelation that her boyfriend of 8 months, Zac Smith (Mike Edward) had been cheating on her, Sarah found herself attracted once again to TK, who offered her support.

[27] Sarah travelled to America for several months on a MS trial and in the interim, TK developed feelings for her friend Harper Whitley (Ria Vandervis) but stayed committed.

Since Sarah died, the dark heaviness that TK experienced with being so depended on by his sick partner has gone and, naturally, he's stepped up to being a dad.

"[33] TK has proved favourable to female fans and was labelled by the official Shortland Street website as one of the most recognisable faces on the show.

[34] TK and his cousin Huia (Nicola Kawana), were portrayed as "middle class" Māori and fulfilled a certain demographic that had been left open after the departure of the Hudson family.

Eti Kawaka (Isaac Bell) was departing the soap and Jay Copeland's (Jaime Passier-Armtrong) storylines dealt more often with her sexuality.

[3] Reviewers predicted that how writers dealt with TK and Huia would directly affect the Māori audience share of Shortland Street.

[citation needed] During a speech at the show's 15th anniversary, the Prime Minister Helen Clark satirically suggested that the question of whether Sarah would marry TK was a major issue.

[35] The characters popularity dwindled off by 2014, with The Spinoff writer suggesting that Mitchell's off screen persona was the reason behind the attitude change of fans.

[36] The conclusion to the 2011 90-minute episode which saw TK ditch Roimata at the altar to see his daughter's birth, only to end up saving Hunter (Lee Donoghue) from a car crash, were highly praised by reviewers.

[citation needed] The love triangle between TK, Roimata and Sarah was listed by Television New Zealand as one of the top moments of the 2011 season.