Craig McLachlan: quick links
Australian actor Craig McLachlan has withdrawn from a 2026 Australian tour of the stage comedy Cluedo after a social media backlash focused on his historical indecent assault charges arising from an earlier production.
McLachlan was found not guilty of indecent assault in 2020.
His casting in Cluedo, a stage comedy based on the 1985 film Clue – which was in turn inspired by the murder mystery board game Cluedo – was announced last week, and was met with shock and anger from some members of the sector and the general public.
In a video posted on social media accounts on Tuesday (16 September), McLachlan said a social media campaign ‘from within the theatre community’, had led to the ‘bullying’ of himself, his friends and family, and the actors and creatives associated with the production.
McLachlan’s withdrawal from Cluedo was confirmed by production company Crossroads Live on Tuesday afternoon. His statement read: ‘Almost one week ago, a casting announcement was made regarding the Australian stage play Cluedo.
‘In the hours and days that followed, I was targeted in a social media campaign from within the theatre community, which I was devastated to see has then impacted those involved in the production.
‘I therefore feel that it is best for the production and those involved for me to withdraw,’ McLachlan said.
‘Bullying’ claims by Craig McLachlan
McLachlan doubled down on his claims of bullying in his Facebook video yesterday, saying: ‘And make no mistake, this is bullying. In a sit down meeting with key production personnel only days before the announcement, I made it very clear that I didn’t want my inclusion in the cast to impact negatively on any of the other actors.
‘Those two actors [Genevieve Lemon and Grant Piro] mentioned alongside me have been and continue to be harassed and bullied by their peers. I cannot and will not … let my involvement in a show result in good people being targeted by trolls and bullies. I have therefore made the decision to withdraw from the production,’ he said.
McLachlan also noted in the video that its release – and his announcement – had been delayed by a day due to his mother’s death on Monday.
Craig McLachlan’s earlier court case
In 2018, McLachlan withdrew from a revival of the stage production The Rocky Horror Picture Show following allegations about his activity in an earlier, 2014 production of the same show.
Three of McLachlan’s cast members from the 2014 production – Christie Whelan Browne, Angela Scundi and Erika Heynatz – accused him of numerous instances of sexual harassment and bullying in that earlier production. Further complaints about his behaviour on the television programs Neighbours, City Homicide and the Doctor Blake Mysteries also emerged.
By the time the case ended up in court in 2019-2020, a fourth women had added her name to the list of complainants.
The 2018 production of The Rocky Horror Show, starring McLachlan, was co-produced by John Frost, who is now the chief executive of Crossroads Live.
McLachlan’s case came before the courts in 2019-2020, and concluded with him being found not guilty on seven charges of indecent assault and six of common law assault.
As per an examination of the case published by ArtsHub in December 2020, McLachlan was accused of committing the crimes in question in 2014, so Victoria’s previous laws and tests of consent had to be applied to the case. Had the crimes he was accused of happened after 1 July 2015, it is possible the outcome would have been entirely different.
Read: Craig McLachlan and workplace respect
Notably, presiding Magistrate Belinda Wallington described Whelan Browne and her fellow witnesses as brave and honest; she also concluded that the acts of assault did take place, but – as per the laws of 2014 – they could not be proven to ‘a criminal standard’ and there was not enough evidence to prove McLachlan ‘understood he did not have consent’.
The sector response to Craig McLachlan’s announcement
Performer Queenie van de Zandt was one of artists to publicly criticise McLachlan’s recent casting via a widely shared post on her social media accounts last week, in which she said she was ‘shocked and disheartened by the decision to cast Craig McLachlan in the upcoming production of Cluedo’.
Van de Zandt posted again on Tuesday following McLachlan’s announcement that he had withdrawn from the production.
In a short post, she shared two pertinent quotes:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou
Also on Tuesday, producer John Frost made a personal apology regarding McLachlan’s casting: ‘Craig McLachlan’s theatrical stage return wasn’t well received by some of the industry and public. The resulting impact on others involved has prompted his withdrawal from the production. I have listened to the feedback and as producer, whilst it was my initial casting decision, I understand the opposing sentiment and I am sorry for any distress this decision has caused.’
Crossroad Live’s production of Cluedo is scheduled to open in Brisbane in January 2026, after which it will tour to Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney.
