[2] The character first appeared on Big Girl's Blouse in 1994 alongside Kath Day-Knight (Jane Turner) and Kim Craig (Gina Riley).

[3] Sharon is characterized as an accident and injury-prone, sports-obsessed individual who is frequently unlucky in love and referred to as "a bit desperately lonely".

The character in the American version was initially to have the name Debbie Cox and work with animals, but Szubanski, who had created Sharon, refused to permit adaptation for the show.

In Kath & Kimderella, Sharon embarks on the "Orlando Bloom diet" and experiences significant weight loss.

This storyline reflects real-life events, as actress Magda Szubanski had undergone weight loss with the Jenny Craig program during the show's hiatus.

What I based her on was those kind of people who, on a cold, wet Saturday morning, get up and they get the bibs and the balls and they teach junior netball and don't get paid for it but they have that sense of civic duty."

In Da Kath & Kim Code, Sharon nearly marries a supposed fiancé named "Marriat," only to reveal that he was merely spam from a website.

Her struggles in love are depicted in the episode "Lust," where it is revealed that Sharon turns to chocolate to cope with her romantic disappointments.

Sharon has a short lived romance with a jokey, Damien (Jane Turner), whom she met while at the Melbourne Cup.

Additionally, in character as Sharon, she shared a "pash" with Heath Ledger on the red carpet at the AFI Awards in 2006 while performing as an assistant stage manager.

The dynamic becomes more complicated in the final season when Sharon and Brett have a one-night stand, a moment that Kim discovers.

Despite this revelation, their actions do not significantly alter the relationships within the group, other than Kim demoting Sharon to her "sixth-best friend."

At the end of the finale, Sharon enters Kath’s home visibly upset, revealing that Wayne had purchased a mobile phone, a decision that seemed to trouble her.

The fate of their marriage is left uncertain, though the credits scene shows Wayne in a spa with Kath and Kim, discussing strategies to win Sharon back.

In another episode, Sharon arrives at Kath and Kel's home after losing her job and apartment, explaining that her father, who owned the property, returned to renovate and raise the rent, forcing her out.

In Series 4, Sharon claims her birth mother abandoned her as a baby and moved to Great Britain, never making contact again.

Sharon also reveals the existence of a younger half-sister, Karen (Matt Lucas), who was born to her mother after remarrying in Britain.

She often enters the Day-Knight residence through the sliding door and immediately raids the fridge, eating whatever she finds, typically frankfurts.

She is often seen wearing a cast, splint, neck brace, or eye patch, or showing signs of "pash rash" (as Kim refers to it), boils, or carbuncles.

Notably, a grotesque dermatological affliction on her face is revealed to be the result of a monkey bite sustained during a trip to Bali.

In 2019, Szubanski appeared as Sharon on an interview for the breakfast television show Today where she meets a group of fans that named a netball team after her.

[10] In 2022, Szubanski featured in an add for the new Google Pixel collection, appearing in scenes at a restaurant, on the netball court and in a park.

[11] In 2025, Szubanski again portrayed Sharon in an advertisement for Google Ads, where she ran a company by the name of 'Bowled & Beautiful', specialising in giving a Bowl Cut to all those who enter.