Viewers outraged by ‘narcissist’ Craig McLachlan’s teary, rage-filled tell-all

A tell-all 7NEWS Spotlight interview with Craig McLachlan Sunday night has sparked an eruption of emotions by viewers.

Before the interview had even begun, furious viewers took to social media to slam both the actor and the TV station and continued throughout the screening, with many saying they had to change the channel.

During the interview McLachlan, 55, spoke about the allegations of sexual harassment, which have plagued him since 2018. In December, McLachlan was found not guilty of seven indecent assault charges and six common assault charges relating to his alleged conduct towards four women during the 2014 tour of The Rocky Horror Show.

Despite being acquitted, McLachlan is still facing pressure, and tearfully told Channel 7 it had resulted in “the absolute demolition” of his life. The actor is now suing the ABC, Fairfax and an actress for defamation over the 2018 reports.

According to the ABC, just 24 hours prior to the release of the Channel 7 interview, McLachlan was hit with fresh allegations of sexual harassment and bullying on the set of The Doctor Blake Mysteries TV series, as well as during The Rocky Horror Show.

The document, released to the ABC this week by the NSW Supreme Court, details fresh allegations by three actresses, as well as allegations that he bullied and intimidated The Rocky Horror Show co-star Tim Maddren.

During the tell-all interview, McLachlan cried, ranted and raged about the allegations, which he still strenuously denies. The Gold Logie-winning actor sat side by side with his partner, Vanessa Scammell, who has been his staunch supporter throughout the allegations.

McLachlan took aim at the #MeToo campaign, saying the climate it had created forced people to support women. He and Scammell claimed that female accusers were jealous of his success and that he was portrayed as “some dirty paedophile”, recalling the heartbreaking moment when a mother ushered her children away from him in the supermarket.

McLachlan said the ordeal made him contemplate suicide, revealing that he “contemplated the unthinkable … my family would be better off without me”.

Viewers took to Twitter to vent a range of emotions over the interview, with many outraged that Channel 7 was trying to paint McLachlan as the victim.

“This can happen to anyone.” says #CraigMcLachlan.

No, it super doesn’t happen to ‘anyone’.

It happens to men who journalists methodically gather a bunch of reliable sources to speak out against.

— Melanie Tait (@MelanieTait) May 16, 2021

One journalist shared her outrage over the comment McLachlan made that it “could happen to anyone”.

Anyone who understands Narcissistic Personality Disorder will see right through this ‘performance’. #craigmclachlan #channel7

— aussiechic ???????????? (@lisa_aussiechic) May 16, 2021

While another viewer claimed the interview only highlighted McLachlan’s “Narcissistic Personality Disorder.”

Shame on @Channel7 for giving Craig McLachlan a “tell-all” platform, framing him as the victim after several accusations of sexual assault. Him stating, “a post Weinstein, #MeToo world gone mad” made me so ill. This is exactly how r*pe culture stays alive because it’s broadcast.

— pasquale antonio (@pas3p3) May 10, 2021

In the era of #MeToo what the hell are @Channel7 doing giving air time to #CraigMcLachlan?

Believe the victims.

Shame on you Channel 7 – shame. I’ll be going back to my streaming services for entertainment.

— Monique (@MoniqueHennessy) May 16, 2021

McLachlan is allegedly seeking damages, aggravated damages, special damages, interest and costs in his defamation case against the ABC. A hearing date has not yet been set.