HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Sharon Karen Strzelecki is a fictional character on the Australian comedy series ''
Kath & Kim ''Kath & Kim'' (also written as ''Kath and Kim'') is an Australian sitcom originally airing in the prime-time slot on ABC Television from 2002 to 2005 and subsequently on the Seven Network in 2007 and 2022. The show was produced by Riley and T ...
''. She is portrayed by Australian actress
Magda Szubanski Magdalene Mary Therese Szubanski ( ; born 12 April 1961) is an Australian comedy actress, author, singer and LGBT rights advocate. She performed in '' Fast Forward'', '' Kath & Kim'' as Sharon Strzelecki and in the films '' Babe'' (1995) and ...
. The character first appeared on
Big Girl's Blouse ''Big Girl's Blouse'' was an Australian sketch comedy programme that was broadcast in the mid-1990s on the Seven Network, created by Gina Riley, Jane Turner and Magda Szubanski. Early versions of the trio's '' Kath & Kim'' characters, Kath, ...
in 1994 alongside
Kath Day-Knight Kathleen "Kath" Darleen Day-Knight (formerly Poole) is a fictional character featured in the Australian Television show, television series ''Kath & Kim'' and is portrayed by Jane Turner. Her character has appeared on multiple Australian comedy ...
(
Jane Turner Jane Turner (born 1 December 1960) is an Australian actress, comedian and Logie Award-winning comedy series creator and screenwriter. She is widely known for her role as Kath in the TV sitcom ''Kath and Kim''. Career Jane Turner, although ...
) and
Kim Craig Kimberly Diane "Kim" Craig (née Day) is the moody, immature and accident-prone daughter in the Australian sitcom ''Kath & Kim'', portrayed by Gina Riley. Along with co-star Jane Turner who plays Kim's onscreen mother Kath Day-Knight, Riley is the ...
(
Gina Riley Gina Riley (born 6 May 1961) is a retired Australian actress, writer, singer and comedian, known for portraying Kim Craig in the television series '' Kath & Kim'', and for her work in musical theatre. Career Television and film Riley became a ...
). 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". In the American version of ''Kath & Kim'', Sharon has no equivalent. 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.


Personality


Physical appearance and personal outlook

Sharon is portrayed as a sports enthusiast. She displays notable skill in sports such as netball and cricket. Sharon has distinctive orange-brown hair in a
bob Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to: People, fictional characters, and named animals *Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Bob (surname) * Bob (dog), a dog that received the Dickin Medal for bravery in World War II * Bob t ...
. In most episodes, she is shown wearing her netball cardigan with a white or pastel T-shirt. Sharon is characterized by her lack of confidence, often appearing with her head down and showing signs of low self-esteem or depression. However, she also exhibits moments of happiness and cheerfulness, particularly when playing netball. She is portrayed as a kind and caring individual, consistently placing the needs of others above her own, despite often receiving little love or care in return. In ''
Kath & Kimderella ''Kath & Kimderella'' is a 2012 Australian film. It is a spin-off of the television series ''Kath & Kim'', created by Gina Riley and Jane Turner. It was written by and stars Riley, Turner and Magda Szubanski. The film was released theatrically ...
'', Sharon embarks on the "
Orlando Bloom Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Copeland Bloom (born 13 January 1977) is an English actor. He made his breakthrough as the character Legolas in The Lord of the Rings (film series), ''The Lord of the Rings'' film series (2001–03). He reprised his r ...
diet" and experiences significant weight loss. This storyline reflects real-life events, as actress Magda Szubanski had undergone weight loss with the
Jenny Craig Jenny Craig, Inc., often known simply as Jenny Craig, is an American weight loss, weight management, and nutrition company. At its peak, the company had more than 700 weight management centers in Australia, the United States, Canada, and New Ze ...
program during the show's hiatus. Sharon’s love for
KFC KFC Corporation, doing business as KFC (an abbreviation of Kentucky Fried Chicken), is an American fast food restaurant chain specializing in fried chicken and chicken sandwiches. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, it is the world's se ...
is highlighted in ''
Da Kath & Kim Code ''Da Kath & Kim Code'' is a 2005 Australian comedy telemovie of the television series '' Kath & Kim''. After three seasons of ''Kath & Kim'' (2002–2004), Gina Riley and Jane Turner initially planned to take 2005 off from television. But in ...
''.
"''I've never thought that the gag of Sharon is the weight. I've always said the thing that defines Sharon is netball. 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.''" – Magda Szubanski


Hobbies

Sharon is deeply passionate about sports. Sports uniforms make up almost the entirety of her wardrobe. She is particularly active in
netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...
, where she serves as team captain of the Sapphires and, in one instance, the Unicorns (featured in Season 2, "My Boyfriend"). Sharon is also skilled in
indoor cricket Indoor cricket is a variant of and shares many basic concepts with cricket. The game is most often played between two teams each consisting of six or eight players.
and has played the sport in four different Australian states. Additionally, she has golfed and competed in
shot put The shot put is a track-and-field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical Ball (sports), ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. For men, the sport has been a part of the Olympic Games, modern Olympics since their 1896 Summer Olym ...
at the national level, often referencing these achievements in the series. Beyond participating in sports, Sharon enjoys watching football, cricket, and rugby. Her love of food is a recurring theme, often leading her to raid the snack supply at the Day household. This behavior frequently causes conflict with Kim, who scolds Sharon for "stealing" her snacks. In one episode, Sharon becomes distraught when the snacks Kim wins in a competition are eaten. Sharon also shows an interest in the lives of Kim and, occasionally, Kath, often aiding Kim in her peculiar and self-centered schemes without hesitation. Her unwavering loyalty to her friends is a central element of the character.


Relationships


Love life and romantic relationships

Sharon is notable for her tumultuous and often unsuccessful love life. Throughout the series, Sharon comes close to forming relationships, but each attempt ends in failure. In ''
Da Kath & Kim Code ''Da Kath & Kim Code'' is a 2005 Australian comedy telemovie of the television series '' Kath & Kim''. After three seasons of ''Kath & Kim'' (2002–2004), Gina Riley and Jane Turner initially planned to take 2005 off from television. But in ...
'', Sharon nearly marries a supposed fiancé named "Marriat," only to reveal that he was merely spam from a website. Sharon has a complicated history with Kim's husband, Brett, having had brief romantic entanglements with him both before and after his marriage to Kim. Mark ( Tony Martin), another of Sharon's romantic interests, is an ex-boyfriend with whom she has an inconsistent relationship. While Mark occasionally expresses affection for Sharon, he often appears disinterested, and their relationship is challenged when Sharon nearly loses him to a "leggy Riverdancer." Sharon also shows interest in Kel's friend, Sandy Freckle, known for pursuing Kel's former partners. However, Sandy's attention is focused on Kath rather than Sharon. Sharon has had a romantic connection with a hospital co-worker, Alan (
Alan Brough Alan Brough (; born 1967) is a New Zealand actor, television and radio host and comedian based in Australia. Career Early life Brough worked as an actor in Wellington and Auckland, mainly in live theatre. He also appeared in a series of butter c ...
), though this relationship never becomes serious, however, Sharon enlists Kim to give her a makeover for her coffee date with Alan. 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 The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
. The two make out in the porter-loos, and Sharon later tells Kim that she was going out with him again after inviting herself. Damien is later seen watching Sharon's eventual wedding to Wayne Shaun. Sharon’s fictional love life also extends to comedic portrayals of celebrity encounters. She is shown to have "pashed" (Australian slang for passionate kissing) and "married" cricketeer
Shane Warne Shane Keith Warne (13 September 1969 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian international cricketer whose career ran from 1992 to 2007. Warne played as a right-arm leg spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batter for Victoria, Hampshire ...
. Additionally, in character as Sharon, she shared a "pash" with
Heath Ledger Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, he moved to the United States in 1998 to further develop his film care ...
on the red carpet at the AFI Awards in 2006 while performing as an assistant stage manager.


Kim

Sharon and Kim share a complex and often one-sided friendship. While Sharon consistently demonstrates loyalty and kindness toward Kim and her family, Kim regards Sharon as her "second-best friend". This dynamic is highlighted by Kim's tendency to treat Sharon dismissively unless she wants something from her, often beginning requests with phrases like, "Sharon, because you are my second-best friend..." Kim frequently belittles Sharon, mocking her for being "good-for-nothing" and pointing out her lack of success in love. Despite this, Sharon remains a supportive friend, willing to help Kim in various situations. Sharon consistently looks up to Kim as a person in personality and looks, and often agrees with her when she says that she is pretty and stylish. Sharon often asks Kim for advice on how to get a boyfriend, and says "I wish I could be just like you" (referring to Kim). Kim's ambivalence toward Sharon's close friendship with Brett, her husband, causes tension to their relationship. Sharon and Brett share a strong platonic bond, which causes Kim to often be jealous or dismissive of their camaraderie. Kim takes advantage of Sharon's accommodating nature, frequently enlisting her to run errands or drive her and her daughter, Epponnee-Rae, to various locations, even when Sharon has other obligations.


Brett

Brett Craig, often called "Bretty" by Sharon, is Kim's husband and a close friend of Sharon. In the episode where Epponnee-Rae, Brett and Kim’s daughter, is born, it is revealed that Sharon and Brett dated during high school. Brett ended their relationship when he became interested in Kim, despite her initial lack of interest or affection toward him. In one episode, Sharon expresses a desire to have a child on her own using a donor. She subtly hints at wanting Brett to be the father, stating, "I want a person who is the husband of a close friend... and has a baby like Epponnee-Rae, to be the father." 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."


Kath Day-Knight

Sharon and Kath maintain a positive relationship, with Kath often acting as Sharon’s advocate when Kim mistreats her. Kim's tantrums directed at Sharon frequently revolve around trivial matters, such as disputes over food, and Kath typically steps in to defend Sharon during these episodes. Instances of tension between Kath and Sharon are rare. Notable exceptions include the episode "Party," in which Kath becomes upset with Sharon after her drink is spiked, and an occasion where Kath firmly advises Sharon to "get help" before a volleyball game.


Wayne Shaun

Wayne Shaun (
Shane Warne Shane Keith Warne (13 September 1969 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian international cricketer whose career ran from 1992 to 2007. Warne played as a right-arm leg spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batter for Victoria, Hampshire ...
) is a Shane Warne impersonator who becomes Sharon’s husband in the final episode. Sharon and Wayne's relationship appears to have several difficulties. 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.


Family


Parents

Little is consistently known about Sharon's parents, as the storyline surrounding her family contains notable discrepancies. Regarding Sharon's father, she mentions in one episode that he "moved with his new family to
Tewantin Tewantin ( ) is a town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. Tewantin was the original settlement in the Noosa region and is one of its three major centres today. In the , the locality of T ...
". 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 1, during the episode "Hen's Night," Sharon explains that she struggled to properly organize Kim's
hen night A bachelorette party (United States and Canada) or hen night ( UK, Ireland and Australia) is a party held for a woman (the bride or bride-to-be) who will soon be married. While Beth Montemurro concludes that the bachelorette party is modelled af ...
due to the need to care for her ill mother, who, according to Kim, had a "dicky pancreas." Sharon defends her mother, stating that she was in a coma at the time and therefore unable to call with congratulations. In Series 4, Sharon claims her birth mother abandoned her as a baby and moved to
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
, never making contact again. Sharon also reveals the existence of a younger half-sister, Karen (
Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer and television host. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Britain (TV series), Little Britain'' (2003–2006) ...
), who was born to her mother after remarrying in Britain.


Karen

Karen is Sharon's half-sister. She appears in two episodes, most notably in the episode "Roots," where Sharon embarks on a mission to reconnect with her birth mother but instead discovers the existence of Karen. Karen, portrayed by
Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer and television host. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Britain (TV series), Little Britain'' (2003–2006) ...
, is a plus-sized model who travels frequently and happens to be in Australia for modeling work when Sharon contacts her. When Sharon and Kim meet Karen, Sharon is largely ignored as Karen quickly forms a bond with Kim, spending all her time with her instead. Before departing, Karen forcibly kisses Brett, an action to which neither Kim nor Sharon reacts. Karen makes another appearance in ''Da Kath & Kim Code'', though not in person. Before Sharon's marriage to Wayne, Sharon plays a video message from Karen, who declines to attend the wedding. In the message, Karen relays that their mother hates her. Karen also claims she was treated like a "
princess Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...
" by their mother, growing up with everything she ever wanted.


Quirks, personality traits and features

Sharon is known for several recurring behaviors and traits. One of Sharon’s common habits involves Kath's
refrigerator A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermal insulation, thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to ...
. She often enters the Day-Knight residence through the sliding door and immediately raids the fridge, eating whatever she finds, typically frankfurts. She also has a penchant for finishing Kim’s snacks, such as Dippity Bix or fat-free Fruche. This often leads to a predictable exchange where Kim exclaims, "Sharon! That was my last ___!" Sharon defensively responds, "Well, I didn't know, Kim!" to which Kim concludes, "Well, you never bloody know, Sharon!" Sharon is frequently depicted with various injuries and physical ailments. 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. Many of her injuries are attributed to her enthusiastic participation in sports, though some have other origins. Notably, a grotesque dermatological affliction on her face is revealed to be the result of a monkey bite sustained during a trip to Bali. She has also broken her
fibula The fibula (: fibulae or fibulas) or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. ...
five times. She also states on multiple occasions that she is allergic to alcohol and marshmallows. A devoted cricket fan, Sharon idolizes
Shane Warne Shane Keith Warne (13 September 1969 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian international cricketer whose career ran from 1992 to 2007. Warne played as a right-arm leg spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batter for Victoria, Hampshire ...
. She is frequently shown reading Warne’s books and attempting his signature move, "the flipper." In Season 4, her admiration takes center stage when she marries a Shane Warne look-alike. On the morning of her wedding, she is seen holding two photographs of Warne—one from his younger years and one from later in his career—both of which resemble her fiancé. Another recurring gag involves Sharon’s kissing scenes. After she kisses someone, red marks often appear around her mouth, and she is left grinning.


In other media

Magda Szubanski has reprised her role as Sharon on several occasions outside the series. In 2005, Szubanski appeared as Sharon in a televised fundraiser supporting victims of the
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+07:00, UTC+7), a major earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2–9.3 struck with an epicenter, epicentre off the west coast of Aceh in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The Submarine earthquake, undersea ...
. In 2019, Szubanski appeared as Sharon on an interview for the breakfast television show ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * The current day and calendar date ** Today is between and , subject to the local time zone * Now, the time that is perceived directly, present * The current, present era Arts, entertainment and m ...
'' where she meets a group of fans that named a netball team after her. She has a band aid on her face, claiming to be an injury of a cat scratch. In 2019–2020, she featured in a series of advertisements for
Uber Eats Uber Eats is an online food ordering and delivery platform launched by the company Uber in 2014. It is operational in over 6,000 cities in 45 countries as of 2021. History Uber Eats' parent company Uber was founded in 2009 by Garrett ...
alongside
Kim Kardashian Kimberly Noel Kardashian (born October 21, 1980) is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after the celebrity sex tape ...
. In 2020, Szubanski again portrayed Sharon in a tribute video dedicated to health workers during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. In 2022, Szubanski featured in an advertisement for the new
Google Pixel Google Pixel is a brand of portable Consumer electronics, consumer electronic devices developed by Google that run either ChromeOS or the Pixel version of the Android (operating system), Android operating system. The main line of Pixel products ...
collection, appearing in scenes at a restaurant, on the netball court and in a park. In 2025, Szubanski again portrayed Sharon in an advertisement for
Google Ads Google Ads, formerly known as Google Adwords, is an online advertising platform developed by Google, where advertisers bid to display brief advertisements, service offerings, product listings, and videos to web users. It can place ads in the res ...
, where she ran a company by the name of 'Bowled & Beautiful', specialising in giving a
Bowl Cut A bowl cut is a simple haircut where the front hair is cut with a straight fringe (see Bangs (hair), bangs) and the rest of the hair is left longer, the same length all the way around, or else the sides and back are cut to the same short lengt ...
to all those who enter. She also features as Sharon in an instructional video on how to use Google Ads. In the same year, Szubanski potrayed Sharon in a series of advertisements for
Medibank Medibank is an Australian private health insurance provider headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria. It is Australia's largest private health insurance provider, covering around 4.2 million customers in 2024. Medibank initially ...
, in which mental health conversations with family are encouraged by depicting two previously unseen children of Sharon, Tim and Pam.


See also

*
Strzelecki (disambiguation) Strzelecki may refer to: People * Andrzej Strzelecki, Polish actor and academic teacher *Bolesław Strzelecki, Polish priest * Henri Strzelecki, British fashion designer *Henry Strzelecki, American musician *Paweł Strzelecki, Polish explorer and ...


Other characters

*
Kim Craig Kimberly Diane "Kim" Craig (née Day) is the moody, immature and accident-prone daughter in the Australian sitcom ''Kath & Kim'', portrayed by Gina Riley. Along with co-star Jane Turner who plays Kim's onscreen mother Kath Day-Knight, Riley is the ...
*
Kath Day-Knight Kathleen "Kath" Darleen Day-Knight (formerly Poole) is a fictional character featured in the Australian Television show, television series ''Kath & Kim'' and is portrayed by Jane Turner. Her character has appeared on multiple Australian comedy ...
* Kel Knight * Brett Craig


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strzelecki, Sharon Strzelecki,Sharon Australian female characters in television Fictional bisexual women Fictional people from Victoria (state)