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Pretty Jessica will be ‘rested’ from Neighbours…

In a move sure to shock Neighbours fans, Jessica Muschamp who plays the popular Sharon, has been dropped from the series. Neighbours producers say that after two years, the character is set to be “rested”.

Jessica, 19, has taken the news in her stride and says it may even be a ‘blessing in disguise’. She has already signed for an English pantomime season at Christmas and is considering roles in an Australian mini-series and theatre productions. Jessica finishes filming in five weeks, but will be seen on air until late June.

“Writing and creating characters is like a road with many different crossroads,” she says. “You have to choose which way they’re going to go. They chose to go this way. As good as it has been, they probably felt that Sharon didn’t have as much of a family base as some of the other characters.”

“Having come to terms with the decision that’s been made, I’m really looking forward to what the next thing is. I’m looking forward to new challenges. I’m very excited about the future. I had been thinking about leaving, but it’s a very hard decision to make because it’s such a great place and such wonderful people. It’s really hard to break free.”

“I think what’s happened is a blessing in disguise. I’m glad. The character needs a rest and I want to do other things.”

Jessica agrees many of her fans will be disappointed when Sharon departs Ramsay Street. “I’d like to think they (the fans) will miss her. Sharon has been a very full-on character. I hope she’s made an impact on the show and I hope people will think it’s sad Sharon’s gone. But I also hope they will think ‘Isn’t it good Jessica’s going to be doing such and such’.”

Jessica says the Neighbours cast were thrilled to take off the TV Week Logie Award for the Most Popular Series and she will always cherish her years with the series.

“It’s been wonderful. They’ve been the best family – it’s like a second home. It’s been the best possible learning ground. I look at the success of Neighbours and I feel so lucky – this phenomenon which has gone through the world and I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved with it. If Grundys and I decide the character should come back in the future, there will be options.”

Jessica signed with a London agent during her six-week Christmas holiday in the UK and because she has dual citizenship, she has been accepted into British Actors Equity. Is she nervous leaving the security of a weekly series?

“I guess I should be but, then again, at my age I shouldn’t be nervous about anything. If worse comes to worse I can go back to university if I have to. I just take every day as it comes.”

This article originally appeared in TV Week magazine, dated 31st March 1990 and was written by Chrissie Camp

Article submitted by Steve