His 1985 solo single "A Good Heart" was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Sharkey is also a lifelong fly fisherman, has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers (particularly chalk streams), and is the Chairman of the Amwell Magna Fishery.

[2][3] Before his solo career took off, Sharkey was also the singer of the one-shot group The Assembly with ex-Yazoo and Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke (pre-Erasure).

Sharkey's debut single was a collaboration with Madness member Cathal Smyth titled "Listen to Your Father".

His best-known solo material is the 1985 UK chart-topping single penned by Lone Justice frontwoman Maria McKee, "A Good Heart", which went to No.

Starting in the early 1990s Sharkey moved into the business side of the music industry, initially in A&R for Polydor Records, and then as managing director of EXP Ltd.

He has become prominent in criticising the use of Form 696 by the Metropolitan Police' requiring event promoters to provide data on performers and audiences.

[14] In 2008, Sharkey was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts, by the University of Hertfordshire in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of music.

[18] Sharkey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to music.

[23][24] He reappeared on episode 6 of the fifth series of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing on 14 October 2022, and discussed pollution in English rivers including the Thames and Wye.