Craig McLachlan has confessed to trying to kill himself after being accused of assault.
In 2019, McLachlan was charged with seven counts of indecent assault and six counts of common law assault against four women who starred alongside him in the stage production of The Rocky Horror Show. In 2020, he was acquitted of all charges.
During an amazing episode of SAS Australia on Tuesday, the Doctor Blake star, 58, said he was driven to the extreme act when the allegations became public.
“Talk about panicking,” the star said of that fateful morning as he took part in a death-defying helicopter challenge on the show.
“On that morning of January 8, 2018. I woke up, the phone was ringing, the news was everywhere,” he continued.
Craig McLachlan has confessed to trying to kill himself after being accused of assault. In photo
He is a monster, he is a bully, he is a calculated predator. It is very easy to destroy your life like this. Where I found myself was in the darkest place imaginable.
‘Making sure you don’t jump off the balcony. Alas, I was thinking the unthinkable,” admitted Craig.
“And I made a decision to do something. And in my haste, a miscalculation meant I could get out of bed the next day and soldier on.’
During Monday’s episode a day ago, Craig lit up as he told host Ant Middleton about the heavy toll of indecent assault trials he has received in his career.
In 2019, McLachlan was charged with seven counts of indecent assault and six counts of common law assault against four women who starred alongside him in the stage production of The Rocky Horror Show. In 2020, he was acquitted of all charges
During an amazing episode of SAS Australia on Tuesday, the Doctor Blake star, 58, said he was driven to the extreme act when the allegations became public. “Talk about panic,” the star said of that fateful morning as he took part in a death-defying helicopter challenge.
“Where I found myself was in the darkest place imaginable. Make sure you don’t jump off the balcony. Alas, I was thinking the unthinkable,” admitted Craig
“And I made a decision to do something. And in my haste, a miscalculation meant that I was able to get out of bed the next day and continue to exercise,” he added.
“When I started on Neighbours, I was in people’s waiting rooms night after night, day after day,” he told SAS producers.
“But there was something that happened about five years ago that was shocking to the public and shocking to me.
‘Craig McLachlan, disgraced actor. Bully in the workplace, monster,” he continued.
“So I’m here to exorcise some pretty extreme pain with some pretty extreme pain.”
McLachlan went on to admit that he now suffers from ‘extreme social anxiety’.
“I find it very difficult to trust situations where there are a lot of people, especially women,” he said.
Craig admitted he has a hard time trusting women during the gripping season premiere of SAS Australia on Monday
The Doctor Blake star, 58, lit up as he told host Ant Middleton (pictured) about the toll his indecent assault trial had had on his career.
“I’m more worried about being in a new group of people than climbing the side of a mountain. I know it sounds weird, but for me, I’m afraid it’s true,” he added.
He went on to admit that many people he once called friends had disappeared from his life.
“People who just a few months ago would look me in the eye and say you create the most wonderful work environments imaginable…abandonment, total abandonment,” he told Middleton.
“A small handful of brave people I’ve befriended for over 30 years were always there, but the vast majority – gone.”
McLachlan went on to admit that he now suffers from ‘extreme social anxiety’. “I find it very difficult to trust situations where there are a lot of people, especially women,” he said
“I’m more worried about being in a new group of people than climbing the side of a mountain. I know it sounds weird, but for me, I’m afraid it’s true,” he added.
McLachlan was charged with assault and indecent assault following complaints from female co-stars in a 2014 Melbourne stage production of The Rocky Horror Show, during which he played the role of Frank-N-Furter.
He was later handed a $500,000 settlement in April this year after being acquitted of assault charges.
He vehemently denied the allegations against him.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington found him not guilty of 13 charges after a four-week contested hearing in Melbourne’s Victorian Magistrates Court in December 2020.
For confidential 24-hour support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
SAS Australia continues on Wednesdays at 7.30pm on Channel Seven
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