Sharon Davies is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''
Neighbours
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...
'', played by Jessica Muschamp. She made her first appearance on 29 July 1988. Sharon is the younger sister of
Bronwyn Davies
Bronwyn Davies is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Rachel Friend. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 July 1988. Bronwyn is the sister of Sharon Davies. Bronwyn f ...
(
Rachel Friend
Rachel Amanda Friend (born 8 January 1970) is an Australian actress and journalist.
Career
Friend joined the cast of the soap opera '' Neighbours'' in 1988, when she was eighteen. Friend chose to postpone her university degree to join the show ...
). During her time in ''Neighbours'', Sharon's storylines included setting fire to the coffee shop, a love triangle with
Lucy Robinson (Sasha Close) and
Nick Page (
Mark Stevens), pushing Lucy into a swimming pool and developing an eating disorder. The character was written out in 1990 as part of a cast
exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Ex ...
and her departure aired on 7 June 1990. Muschamp reprised the role for a cameo appearance in the show's
finale on 28 July 2022.
Casting
While studying for her
VCE in 1988, Muschamp attended an audition for the part of Sharon, the younger sister of
Bronwyn Davies
Bronwyn Davies is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Rachel Friend. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 July 1988. Bronwyn is the sister of Sharon Davies. Bronwyn f ...
(played by
Rachel Friend
Rachel Amanda Friend (born 8 January 1970) is an Australian actress and journalist.
Career
Friend joined the cast of the soap opera '' Neighbours'' in 1988, when she was eighteen. Friend chose to postpone her university degree to join the show ...
).
Muschamp had intended to concentrate on her studies, but that changed when she learned about the ''Neighbours'' audition.
[ She thought it would be a good experience and she did not expect to get the role.] Muschamp was initially contracted for a brief stint with the show, but when she proved popular with viewers she was promoted to the regular cast. During her time with ''Neighbours'', Muschamp said she "had a ball" working with the other members of the cast.
Development
Sharon is described as a "impetuous, laid back character." She is bubbly, but tactless. Sharon often insults people, but she does not mean to and she can be a little thoughtless. Muschamp explained that she is not like Sharon at all, but that she likes her character. She said "She has a lot of boyfriends, more than me! – a different once every week." She added "Sharon comes from a dusty isolated town and wants to come to the bright lights of the city." A reporter from ''Woman
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
'' magazine called Sharon a "naughty teenager". In the first six months of portraying Sharon, Muschamp studied with an on-set tutor and passed her VCE. Then on-screen she was portraying the process via Sharon's schooling storylines.
In one of the character's more notable storylines, she attempts to lose weight by dieting. Muschamp said the storyline was created after she decided to lose weight herself. When she was asked if the producers had asked her to lose weight, Muschamp said "Not at all. I was always a chubby teenager. Then after I left school, when I was already in ''Neighbours'', I put on more weight. I decided to lose it and so they put Sharon dieting into the storyline." While discussing controversial topics covered by ''Neighbours'', producer Mark Callan told Jim Schembri of ''The Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
'' that the crew were not sure whether they should go ahead with the plot, as it "would probably cause a bit of a personal concern" with Muschamp, but Callan praised her for coping with it "magnificently". He added "That was considered cruel at the time, and it was cruel the way that we handled it, yet I feel that the end product was something that was very real. The character, Sharon, had a real problem that she expressed very well."
In 1990, during a cast exodus, producers decided to send the character to New Zealand. By that time, everyone around Sharon had gone – her boyfriend, her sister and her aunt. Of this, Muschamp said "I think the producers felt her character had come to a natural conclusion, so she went off to stay with relatives." Of the process, which saw characters leave, Muschamp explained "They had the head-shots of all the different characters lined up above the mirrors and as people left, they'd turn them upside down, I remember dreading the day my head got turned". Muschamp left the series in May of that year and she struggled to find work following her departure. She added "''Neighbours'' was a double-edged sword, in many ways it opened a lot of doors but in other ways people thought I couldn't do anything else".
Muschamp reprised the role on 28 July 2022, as she made a cameo appearance in the show's final episode. Sharon sends a video message to her old friend Melanie Pearson
Melanie Pearson (also Mangel) is a fictional character from Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' played by Lucinda Cowden. The actress was initially signed to the soap on a recurring basis for a few weeks. She made her first screen appearance dur ...
(Lucinda Cowden
Lucinda Cowden (born 24 April 1965) is an Australian actress.
Cowden was born in Ballarat, Victoria. She played Melanie Pearson
Melanie Pearson (also Mangel) is a fictional character from Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' played by Lucin ...
), congratulating her on her wedding day. Laura Denby of the ''Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' noted "it's a testament to ''Neighbours'' that so many former stars of the show have been happy to join the tributes."
Storylines
Sharon leaves home to find her sister Bronwyn Davies, but as she does not leave a note, Bronwyn is shocked to hear that her sister has run away. Harold Bishop
Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ian Smith. The actor was offered the role by the show's creator and executive producer Reg Watson. Smith made his first screen appearance as H ...
(Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith (8 April 1919 – 20 November 2007) was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia (known as Southern Rhodesia until October 1964 and now known as Zimbabwe) from 1964 to ...
) catches Sharon leaving the Coffee Shop without paying for her meal and makes her work in the kitchen to pay for it. Sharon later turns up in Ramsay Street to see Bronwyn and Mrs Mangel
Eleanor "Nell" Worthington (previously Mangel) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Vivean Gray. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 April 1986. She was known almost exclusively to others as ...
(Vivean Gray
Jean Vivra Gray (20 July 1924 – 29 July 2016), known professionally as Vivean Gray, also credited as ''Vivian Gray'' and ''Viven Gray'', was an English television and film actress. She starred in the films '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' a ...
) agrees to let Sharon stay with her, Bronwyn, and Jane Harris Jane Harris may refer to:
* Jane Harris (producer), British television director and producer
* Jane Harris (writer) (born 1961), British writer of fiction and screenplays
* Jane Harris (''Neighbours''), a fictional character in the Australian so ...
(Annie Jones Ann Jones (or similar) may refer to:
Writers
*Ann Jones (author) (born 1937), American writer on women's issues
*Anne Jones (writer) (born 1955), Australian editor and administrator
* Anna Jones (food writer), columnist and cookbook author
* Cat ...
). Sharon manages to upset Mrs Mangel with her attitude and she is almost thrown out when she breaks Mrs Mangel's organ. Sharon befriends Todd Landers
Todd Landers is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Kristian Schmid. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 15 February 1988. Todd was introduced along with his younger sister Kati ...
(Kristian Schmid
Kristian Schmid (born 28 November 1974) is an Australian actor best known for his roles as Todd Landers in ''Neighbours'' and Leading Seaman Robert Dixon in ''Sea Patrol''.
Early life
Schmid was born in Geelong, Australia to Hungarian parents ...
) and they get themselves into trouble, she also begins dating Nick Page ( Mark Stevens). Sharon's aunt, Edith Chubb
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that was first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the serial in 1988, by order of first appearance. Until February, characters were intro ...
(Irene Inescort), shows up and tries to persuade her to come home, but she later agrees to let her stay.
When Sharon is closing up the Coffee Shop one day, Vanessa Bailey (Gretchen Zoland) and Pam Muir (Pia Podporin), two girls from school arrive and offer her a cigarette. When the girls leave, Sharon throws the lit cigarette in the bin. Des Clarke (Paul Keane
Paul Keane (born 16 September 1957) is an Australian actor well known for playing original character Des Clarke in the soap opera '' Neighbours'', opposite Elaine Smith who played his wife Daphne Clarke. Other TV credits include ''Bliss'' and ' ...
) later finds the kitchen on fire and he rushes inside with a fire extinguisher. The shop blows up and Des is rescued by Harold. Nick initially takes the blame for Sharon, but she admits the truth to Harold, who lets her keep her job.
When Lucy Robinson (Sasha Close
Lucy Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Melissa Bell (actor), Melissa Bell. The character has previously been portrayed by Kylie Flinker and Sasha Close. She was created by producer Reg Wa ...
) returns from boarding school, she develops a crush on Nick. After seeing Lucy flirting with Nick, Sharon pushes her into the pond outside the Lassiter's complex. The two girls became enemies for a time, until they are asked to make up by their guardians. Edith rents her house to Hilary Robinson
Hilary Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Anne Scott-Pendlebury. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode broadcast on 25 June 1987. Hilary departed the show on 28 February ...
(Anne Scott-Pendlebury
Anne Scott-Pendlebury (also known as Anne Pendlebury) is an Australian television, film and theatre actress. She played the role of Hilary Robinson in the soap opera '' Neighbours''.
Career
Scott-Pendlebury is the daughter of L. Scott Pendle ...
) and her son, Matt Robinson (Ashley Paske
Matthew "Matt" Robinson (also Williams) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Ashley Paske. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 May 1989. Paske secured the role after ...
). Not long after, Sharon becomes obsessed about her weight and she stops eating for a long time. One day while cleaning the pool, she falls face down into the water and is rescued by Matt and Hilary. Sharon is reassured over her weight and she starts eating regularly again.
Sharon decides to spend all her time at the beach, but she does not use the right sun protection and suffers from heat stroke. She then starts to think of other ways to get tanned. She puts on some tan lotion, straightens her hair and wears Bronwyn's best dress to impress a surfer. Sharon begins seeing a different guy every week and she only stops when she is called names at school. Bronwyn goes to New Zealand to be with Henry Ramsay (Craig McLachlan
Craig Dougall McLachlan (born 1 September 1965) is an Australian actor, musician, singer and composer. He has been involved in film, television, the music industry and music theatre for over 30 years. He is best known for appearing in the soap ...
), leaving Sharon devastated. She moves in with the Bishops, but later decides to move to New Zealand to live with her sister. 32 years later, Sharon sends a video message to Melanie Pearson congratulating her on her wedding to Toadfish Rebecchi
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi (commonly known as "Toadfish" or "Toadie") is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ryan Moloney. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 23 January 199 ...
(Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney (born 24 November 1979) is an Australian actor, known for his portrayal of the fictional character Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' since 1995.
Career
Moloney's first acting experience was with ...
).
Reception
The character of Sharon was popular with the boys and when she departed from the show, a writer for ''Woman'' said "There's no doubt that a few thousand teenage boys' hearts will break when Sharon says goodbye to Ramsay Street." The BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
said Sharon's most notable moment was "Causing the Coffee Shop to blow up!" In ''Neighbours: The Official Annual 1991'', authors John McCready and Nicola Furlong said Muschamp had made her mark on ''Neighbours''. They added "The love lives of those such as Nick Page and Sharon Davies have made the programme perhaps the most popular viewing for teenagers around the world." Jane Noone from ''TV Guide'' branded Sharon a "bubbly" character who was always getting into trouble with Nick.