‘How dare they?’: ABC snubs Craig McLachlan from Logies nominations

Media commentator Peter Ford has slammed the ABC after it left Aussie actor Craig McLachlan off its list of Logie nominees, after McLachlan was accused of sexual assault and harassment earlier this year.

Television networks nominate their biggest starts for the annual Logie awards, before the vote is put to the public every year. Despite McLachlan’s The Doctor Blake Mysteries, blitzing the ratings on ABC, the national broadcaster has ditched him from their list this year following accusations from a number of women who claim the actor sexually harassed them during production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

McLachlan has strenuously denied the allegations and launched his own legal suit against his accusers. 

“How dare they begin to punish somebody who has not in any way had these allegations tested?” Ford said on the radio program, 3AW Breakfast with Ross and John.

“This year, the ABC has taken it upon itself to not include Craig McLachlan, who was the star of the most successful TV drama on the ABC, or indeed Australia – The Doctor Blake Mysteries,” he said. 

Ford went on to say, that the allegations in question had nothing to do with Doctor Blake, adding: “Now, this has got to be based on some kind of moral policing that they’ve decided to implement because of these allegations that are lurking around – allegations that have nothing to do with Doctor Blake, anyway.”

In February, McLachlan was cleared of any wrongdoing on the Doctor Blake and is now according to the Daily Telegraph, suing the media outlets that published the first allegations – which he claims have destroyed his career.

“The allegations stem from the Rocky Horror show,” Ford added. “I think that is so mean and yet, you then have other inclusions that you can vote for, including Rove McManus’ new TV show on Channel 10, which isn’t even on air.”

He said the nomination process proved the Logies had serious flaws and both “cruel” and “bizarre”. 

Earlier this year, three different women who had worked with McLachlan on the popular stage musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 2014 suggested he took his saucy role of Dr Frank-N-Furter too far and alleged that he sexually assaulted them both on and off stage. Two of the women said they made producers aware of the alleged behaviour at the time, but that nothing was done.

“I just think the ABC is deplorable for doing that,” Ford concluded. 

What do you think? Should McLachlan still be nominated? Have you been following this story? 

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