Craig McLachlan: Neighbours actor denies sexual harassment allegations

The actor has stepped down from the current production of The Rocky Horror Show, where he was reprising his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter

Former Neighbours star Craig McLachlan has denied allegations of sexual harassment during a 2014 production of The Rocky Horror Show.

Three cast members – Christie Whelan Browne, Erika Heynatz, and Angela Scundi - have accused the actor of harassment and inappropriate touching, stating they wanted to come forward to protect other cast members. Australian police have stated they are “investigating allegations of sexual offences dating back to 2014”, but did not give further details.

McLachlan has denied all allegations as “entirely false” and stated: “Frankly, they seem to be simple inventions, perhaps made for financial reasons, perhaps to gain notoriety.”

Whelan Browne said that the actor pulled aside her underwear during a performance and kissed her buttock, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “I think people who know him know that he’s generous, warm, funny... I saw a different side come out in him which was terrifying.” Heynatz alleges she was forcibly kissed by McLachlan, saying: “He’s really calculated and very manipulative, a predator”. Both actresses say they took their concerns to senior producers, but that no action was taken.

McLachlan played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 2014 production. The actor has now stepped down from the current iteration of The Rocky Horror Show in which he was reprising his role. He is known for starring as Henry Ramsay, brother of Kylie Minogue’s Charlene, on Neighbours from 1987 to 1989.

The Gordon Frost Organisation, the show’s producer, said in a statement: ‘We have spoken to Craig and have mutually agreed it is not appropriate for him to continue in the current production. ‘We will be conducting a full internal investigation and will co-operate fully with authorities. We were not aware of any details of these allegations until they were published in the media today.’