Sarah Potts (Shortland Street)

Sarah Potts (Shortland Street)

Dr. Sarah Marjorie Potts is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, who has been portrayed by Amanda Billing since her first appearance in September 2004.

Sarah was created as a love interest for Craig (Renato Bartolomei) and was described as withholding a big secret. It was soon revealed Sarah's young brother Daniel (Jarred Blakiston) was in fact her illegitimate son. Sarah and Craig's romance carried on for four years and climaxed in what has been described as "Shortland Street's steamiest ever scene." Sarah's romance storyline's again took a high profile role with her pairing to TK Samuels (Benjamin Mitchell). Starting in 2006, over the next 6 years the two were involved in a "will they-won't they" situation that involved the two getting married, divorced and having a child. Public interest was high for the romance and boosted the show some of its highest ever ratings; the Prime Minister Helen Clark also expressed her interest in whether the two would end up together. In 2008 the character was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in a storyline producers intended to use to explore the long term effects of the illness and help educate New Zealanders.

Sarah's feisty no nonsense attitude has led to her being both liked and despised in the fan community, including helping her win the Throng Shortland Street Fan Award for "Favorite Female Character" in 2006. The storyline that saw Sarah develop Multiple Sclerosis has seen huge acclaim, with sufferers and health advocates praising the show for bringing the illness to such a high profile programme.