Ex-Neighbours actor ‘groped three co-stars in musical’
FORMER Neighbours star Craig McLachlan has been accused of groping three of his co-stars in a stage musical.
The actor, 53, was a household name in Australia and Britain thanks to his role as Henry Ramsay, the brother of Kylie Minogue’s character Charlene.
He has been charged with one count of common assault, eight counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted indecent assault in Melbourne.
The charges are thought to relate to 2014 when he played Frank-NFurter in a stage performance of cult musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, after which the three actresses accused him of bullying and misconduct.
The allegations include inappropriately groping parts of the actresses’ bodies, including their breasts.
McLachlan denies the charges and is suing former co-star Christie Whelan Browne for defamation – along with Australian TV companies ABC and Fairfax, where the allegations were originally made.
That case is due to be heard at a court in Sydney four days before his sexual misconduct trial.
The actor, whose character had a famously huge perm of blond hair, won the Gold Logie award for the most popular personality on Australian TV in 1990.
He originally signed to Neighbours for six weeks as the son of Madge Ramsay, played by Anne Charleston, but he went on to appear in more than 800 episodes.
He also starred in Aussie soap rival Home and Away, on stage in a West End revival of Grease, and had a minor pop career on the back of his hit single Mona.
McLachlan – twice married, including to on-screen Neighbours girlfriend Rachel Friend – dated British actress Charlotte Avery, with whom he has a son, and is now in a relationship with conductor Vanessa Scammell.
A spokesman for the star said: ‘Craig is innocent of these charges which will be vigorously defended.’
He is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on February 8.