McLachlan’s partner speaks out
THE partner of embattled actor Craig McLachlan has revealed her deep shock when she first heard media reports that he was accused of sexually harassing and indecently touching female co-stars.
“All I can say is that the shock was out of this world,” Vanessa Scammell told Steve Price on Sydney radio station 2GB yesterday.
“It’s been a rough and savage ... being an Australian (and believing) in the adage of giving people a fair go in this country just has not happened in this and there’s been such a willingness for people to jump on this express with no due process.”
Scammell, who is a conductor at Opera Australia, told 2GB she felt so confident the allegations her partner sexually harassed co-stars on the 2014 production of The Rocky Horror Show were false she has never asked him if they were true.
“When it all happened the one thing I said to my girlfriend is that through all of this I didn’t even ever have to ask Craig if there was any truth in it. I didn’t have to,” she said.
McLaughlin’s partner of eight years said she was standing by him and they would fight to clear his name.
McLaughlin is suing the ABC and Fairfax Media and fellow Rocky Horror Show co-star Christie Wheelan-Brown over reports which alleged that he sexually harassed and indecently touched the actress.
“We basically are determined and will do everything we can to move through this and clear his name,” Scammell said.
“For everyone to realise that the person who is Craig McLachlan is not the person who has been painted.
“Craig McLachlan is not that person. He’s kind and gentle and funny … yes he’s mischievous.
“But one of his greatest assets is that he loves to make people happy and comfortable.”
The lawsuit will return to the NSW Supreme Court today.