Sharon Bailey is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jamelia. Jamelia had previously appeared as herself in a 2003 episode of the soap. Sharon's character and casting was announced in August 2021 and she made her initial guest appearance on 10 September 2021 in an hour-long episode special episode featuring an entirely Black cast. Sharon was introduced as a family friend of the established Deveraux family and the daughter of new character Pearl Anderson (Dawn Hope). Following her initial guest appearance, Jamelia was invited to join the regular cast in 2022 and Sharon made her return in the episode airing on 21 March 2023. Jamelia was very happy to return as she enjoyed working on the soap and she credited her colleagues for being so welcoming. Jamelia characterised Sharon as being strong, confident and a bit of a loose cannon in her private life. Sharon's storylines focused on her work as a paediatrician, her fractured relationship with her daughter Zoe Anderson (Garcia Brown), a romance with Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) and being blackmailed by Felix Westwood (Richard Blackwood). Despite being offered another year-long contract, Jamelia rejected it and the character departed on 24 April 2024. Jamelia revealed that she had really enjoyed her time on the soap but left it in order to focus on her mental health. Sharon was well-received by critics.
