After a small break (recovering from her near-death at the hands of the Ferndale Strangler), actor Sarah Thomson is back for her second stint on Shortland Street, playing Nurse Tracey Morrison.

Sarah's on-screen and off-screen credentials are pretty impressive.

Having enjoyed "dressing up" since Primary school, Sarah studied her three year Bachelor of Arts at University of Auckland, majoring in Film, Television and Media Studies and Theatre Studies.

She has been seen on screen in a wide variety of roles, playing everything from an alien to a pizza freak with a sinus problem, in US Disney's Power Rangers series.

Prior to her current Shortland Street gig, Sarah was employed as the Music Producer at Alt TV [Sky Digital 65] and had a show on the channel that screened every weeknight called Lamest Girl Alive.

Sarah says she likes to spend her spare time being as nerdy as possible, especially if it involves music, theatre and film. She greatly enjoys food, sleeping and robots.

Her aspirations for the future are to be a world authority on '60s French Chanson, 1950's women's tailoring and surrealist British comedy.

One little known but very important fact about Sarah is that she shares a birthday with crooner Barry Manilow.

We have it on good authority that they do not share the same YEAR.