Sharp was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn and Durham University (Hatfield College) where he gained an honours degree in Psychology and Modern Philosophy in 1968.
In 1978, the BBC gave him 3 months sabbatical to make a movie called The Music Machine, and it was this experience that led him to turn towards drama.
[2] Next came the first six episodes of Robin of Sherwood for ITV, and the ensuing few years consisted of mainly television work until Robert Zemeckis asked him to direct the second unit on Who Framed Roger Rabbit starring Bob Hoskins.
After being out of work for two years, Sharp accepted an offer to direct RPM, starring Emmanuelle Seigner, Famke Janssen and David Arquette.
[2] He speaks fluent French and German and lives in Oxfordshire with his wife, the broadcaster and author Sue Cook, whom he married in 2004.