Craig McLachlan plans to launch legal action against both Fairfax and the ABC following the “annihilation of his career” after claims of sexual misconduct and bullying were published this month.
The 52-year-old actor has spoken for the first time since the allegations came to light, telling the Sunday Telegraph, “By God I will fight this- and the truth, the truth will come out.”
“Does being cheeky and naughty equate with being a bully? No, it does not,” he told the publication.
While the former Neighbours star could not comment on the precise allegations being made against him in the interview due to legal advice, he does admit to having a suggestive or “lewd” sense of humour.
“Dave Allen, Benny Hill lewd? Yeah, you bet. In the right company.”
“The lewdness I am surrounded by on a show like Rocky Horror is, as they say on Spinal Tap, 11. I might be operating on 10, but all around me … in the lewd department, I am nothing compared with what’s surrounding me. As the old boy, I don’t come close in the filth department.”
WATCH: Craig talks about his role in the Rocky Horror Show (story continues after video)
Craig has stepped down from his role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show after former Home and Away star Erika Heynatz, Christie Whelan Browne and Angela Scundi came forward saying the actor had “abused, harassed or assaulted” them during the 2014 stage show.
Two more former crew members, a man and a woman, have also gone to the Victoria Police with complaints of his behaviour.
Craig played Dr Frank N. Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show
The actor vehemently denied the claims, telling The Herald, “I have NEVER done anything like this.”
“Frankly, they seem to be simple inventions, perhaps made for financial reasons, perhaps to gain notoriety,” he told the ABC.
“In either event, they are to the best of my knowledge utterly and entirely false.”
Actresses Christie, Erika and Angela all appeared on the ABC’s 7.30 program, detailing the allegations.
Craig as Doctor Blake
Actresses Christie, Erika and Angela all appeared on the ABC’s 7.30 program, detailing the allegations.
Christie, who also worked alongside Craig in The Wrong Girl, shared her experiences: “I had to be on stage with him in a bed, an upright bed, and I was wearing just bra, undies and garter and … he was pretending to go down on me, that was the scene,” she said.
“But he was directed to kiss down my neck, down my arm and then go down, out of sight. But he would always kiss down my breasts and continue to kiss all the way down until I would have to sort of move and wriggle away.”
“I had to turn facing away from him and one night he pulled my underpants to the side so that my right butt cheek was out and he was kissing all around it.”
You can read more about the ladies’ statements here.
