| Jay Copeland | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Shortland Street character | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jaime Passier-Armstrong | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Harriet Crampton | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2004-2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 25 June 2004 episode 3002 |
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| Last appearance | 27 August 2007 episode 3816 |
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| Classification | Past; Regular | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 27 August 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Owner of The IV (2006-2007) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Jessica "Jay" Copeland was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Jaime Passier-Armstrong and was first introduced in mid 2004 and appearing until her murder in mid 2007.
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Jay's appearance was originally intended to be for only three months, but the character proved popular with viewers. After the character's first few weeks on screen, Shortland Street's producer Harriet Crampton said fans asked for Jay to stay, and remain lesbian.[1]
Jay arrived to Ferndale in mid 2004 to her estranged father Victor. She brought with her travelling partner, Maia Jeffries. But it was not long before people realized they were a lot more than traveling partners and soon Jay revealed she was a lesbian. She planned to follow a new career path as a music therapist. But things did not go well. Between Victor's arrest for murder and Tama and Shannon's break-up, Jay's time in Ferndale was unhappy. Leaving Maia behind, she returned to Sydney but soon realised what she had lost.
When Jay returned to New Zealand at Christmas 2005 for the wedding of her cousin Tama Hudson, Maia was very much on her mind. But she was horrified to discover that the love of her life had moved on and was living with another woman, Fee. Despite that, Jay knew there was still something between her and Maia. She prepared to stay in Ferndale, and was relieved when Maia chose her over Fee. Maia and Jay's relationship was tested once more when Jay slept with Norman in hopes of conceiving a child. Norman's death put paid to their plans of parenting his child and the popular twosome put their differences aside to be wed at Shorty's first Civil Union on February 14th 2006.
Jay went into business with Dylan Preston, the mentor she hoped would take her and her foodie business, Kahu Kai, to the top. Instead, the committed lesbian found herself inexplicably drawn to the man himself, and she embarked on a torrid and illicit affair. When partner Maia found out, their relationship crumbled. Dylan was shocked to discover Jay's double life (living with a woman) and he too pulled the rug out from under her by ruining her business.
Jay and Maia reconciled, but the issue of trust loomed large in their marriage. Maia's attempt to become pregnant drove a further wedge between them and the popular pair separated. Jay helped Maia through her pregnancy and even paid off Mark Weston and it seemed like the two were heading for reconciliation but when Jay told Yvonne the truth about Maia's child, another barrier built between the two. Jay and Maia decided to go to Australia to live but a day before hand, Maia reveals to Jay she can not forgive her for telling Yvonne and she will always love her, but she will not be going to Australia with Jay. Jay accepts this and the two break up forever.
However shortly before she was to leave, the Ferndale Strangler kidnapped and murdered Jay, dumping her body in the hospital grounds. She was discovered by good friend Alice Piper and Kip Denton.
Maia's child Jay Jeffries was named after Jay to remember her.
After murdering Ethan Pierce, Maia went crazy and after being sent to a psychiatric ward by Tania Jeffries, Maia started to ask for her wife Jay who had been dead for nearly 2 years. Maia refused to believe Jay had died.
Jay's cheating was shown to have a huge effect on Maia as Maia refused to get into a committed relationship until early 2010 when she started dating Nicole Miller, however Maia became paranoid that Nicole was cheating on her and Nicole ran away as she thought she was competing with what seemed Jay's ghost.
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