Not guilty! What Craig McLachlan’s verdict means for his future stardom

Content warning: This article discusses sexual harassment allegations and court proceedings.

Craig McLachlan is stepping back into the spotlight after years away from the public eye, determined to reclaim his place on stage.

His past remains a shadow, yet he is determined to move forward with his music and storytelling.

The former Neighbours star is now performing a show that promises both nostalgia and revelation.

The 59-year-old actor and musician is touring regional Queensland and New South Wales with his solo show, #Six String Stories, which combines music with spoken word performance.

On Monday, he announced on social media that he would add a Victorian date to his tour.

In November, McLachlan will perform in Yarram, a Gippsland town of 2,135, which is the hometown of his partner Vanessa Scammell.

'Beautiful people, the moment we've all been waiting for! #Six String Stories is officially heading to the very special town of Yarram - and this one is going to be absolutely magical!' he wrote.

Yarram Show Details

The show will be held at the 700-seat Yarram Regent Theatre on 8 November.

McLachlan added: 'This means everything to us because Yarram is where my beautiful Ness grew up - it's her hometown, her roots, the place that shaped her!

'There's something incredibly special about performing where it all began for her, surrounded by the community that helped make her who she is.

'We're bringing EVERY story, every song, every secret to the place that feels like home.

'Yarram, get ready for the most heartfelt #Six String Stories yet - we're bringing all the love, all the laughs, and probably a few happy tears!

The tour poster shared by McLachlan featured images from multiple phases of his career.

Past Allegations

McLachlan faced assault and indecent assault charges after complaints from female co-stars over incidents during a 2014 Melbourne production of #The Rocky Horror Show.

He strongly denied the allegations, and in December 2020, Magistrate Belinda Wallington found him not guilty of 13 charges after a four-week contested hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court.

The magistrate acknowledged that some incidents occurred but said McLachlan believed he had consent.

She described his behaviour as stemming from an 'egotistical, self-entitled sense of humour' and ordered Victoria Police to cover his legal fees.

The charges were tried under pre-2015 consent laws, which required McLachlan to prove he believed he had consent, unlike the updated law where an unreasonable belief in consent would result in guilt.

Magistrate Wallington noted: 'I cannot dismiss the reasonable possibility that in his egocentric state of mind, amongst some amount of adulation from sections of the cast and management, in combination with a lack of checks and balances on his lewd behaviour, that he was not aware of [the complainant's] lack of consent.'

She also stated that the complainants were 'credible' and that she 'accepted [their] evidence in full'.

McLachlan told Daily Mail in 2024 that he was unlikely to forgive the co-stars who accused him and still blamed them for 'ruining' his life.

'Here's the thing: hate is a poisonous thing. You have to get rid of the hate – and I've done that,' he said.

'Forgiveness is a different story. That's hard s*** to do.'

The actor admitted he had 'fallen out of love' with show business after his 'public crucifixion'.

McLachlan has remained largely out of the limelight but appeared on the reality series #SAS Australia in 2023.

Losing faith in the entertainment industry did not stop him—how will audiences respond to a career rebuilt from controversy?