A crew member has come forward with more allegations that Craig McLachlan sexually harassed staff on the set of TV show The Doctor Blake Mysteries.
After working on the fifth season of the program, he has told a joint Fairfax and ABC investigation that he was shocked at McLachlan’s behaviour on set.
‘A lot of the time it was sexual innuendo, sexual joking, talking about sex and that filtered through’ the crew member said, but that the behaviour was accepted as commonplace and people would ‘laugh it off as a big joke’.
The new allegations include that he held a banana to his crotch and thrust it into the faces of a young guest actress and a director.
A crew member has come forward alleging that Craig McLachlan sexually harassed staff on the set of TV show The Doctor Blake Mysteries (pictured)
Craig McLachlan in character on the set of TV show The Doctor Blake Mysteries (pictured)
He is also accused of sneaking up behind a female camera assistant and ‘humping her – like a dog would hump a leg – as they start to roll the camera’, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
The crew member says ‘there is no way producers didn’t know he was up to inappropriate behaviour’ because they were on set at the time of the alleged harassment.
Earlier this week the company released a statement saying it had not received any complaints about McLachlan, but on Friday revealed they had launched their own internal investigation into the claims.
New allegations made against Craig McLachlan (pictured) include holding a banana to his crotch and thrusting it into the faces of an actress and a director
Earlier this week Fairfax Media and the ABC reported McLachlan allegedly indecently assaulted, sexually harassed and groped three actresses during the 2014 production of the Rocky Horror Show.
The women have slammed claims from the the musical’s production company it wasn’t aware of the allegations.
The Rocky Horror Show production company, Gordon Frost Organisation (GFO), claimed it was not told ‘any details’ of the allegations against McLachlan, 52, until the women went public with their claims this week.
Three cast members from the 2014 production of the Rocky Horror Show told a Fairfax Media and ABC investigation that McLachlan inappropriately touched or exposed himself to them.
GFO said it was ‘shocked to learn’ of sexual harassment allegations against Craig McLachlan while he was involved in the Rocky Horror Show in 2014′ – allegations he vehemently denies.
‘We can also confirm that our records show the claimants at no time made any complaint – formal or informal – to the company in 2014,’ the company said.
Christie Whelan Brown, who was one of three women to accuse McLachlan of indecently assaulting her in 2014, said she complained to senior production staff.
‘That is untrue. There were two people in management that I spoke to directly and I can’t imagine they could look me in the face and say those conversations never happened,’ Ms Brown told 7.30 on Tuesday.
McLachlan has withdrawn from the current production of The Rocky Horror Show amid allegations he sexually harassed and bullied his former co-stars
Whelan Browne said that during Rocky Horror in 2014, McLachlan, who played transvestite Frank N Furter to her character Janet, indecently assaulted her on stage
Whelan Browne said McLachlan indecently assaulted her on stage during a sexual scene
Angela Scundi and Erika Heynatz, who also allege Craig McLachlan sexually assaulted them in 2014, said they were ‘shocked’ by the production company’s claim.
‘Incredibly disappointing for the industry as a whole, not just for me personally or for Christie and Erika, but for the entire entertainment industry,’ Ms Scundi told 7.30.
‘It’s quite shocking to be honest.’
Lawyers for GFO have reportedly threatened to sue the women for defamation.
Since the women went public with their allegations, two more people have come forward.
A male crew member was one of two people to approach the police on Tuesday, according to the ABC.
Erika Heynatz (pictured left) and Christie Whelan Browne (right) are among the women to make allegations against McLachlan, who says the accusations are ‘baseless’
The cast of The Rocky Horror Show, led by Craig McLachlan, are pictured in Perth in 2014
‘These allegations are ALL made up,’ McLachlan said. One of his accusers Erika Heynatz is pictured
Speaking out this week, the women claimed McLachlan took advantage of his role as Dr Frank-N-Furter on the Rocky Horror Show to act inappropriately.
They claim he used his hyper-sexual role to harass the women on and off the stage.
They allege McLachlan exposed himself to an actress, kissed a woman without her permission and pulled one woman’s underpants aside to kiss her buttocks, the ABC reported.
Ms Brown said McLachlan indecently assaulted her on stage during a sex scene.
Erika Heynatz is among the women to allege McLachlan of inappropriate behaviour
Patrons who bought tickets to see Craig McLachlan perform in The Rocky Horror Show demanded their money back after he cancelled his live stage appearance.
Ticketing company BASS told the ABC that it would not be offering refunds, as the 52-year-old actor vehemently denies all accusations against him, describing them as ‘made up’.
Detectives from Melbourne’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team confirmed they were investigating allegations of sexual harassment against McLachlan from 2014.
McLachlan has vehemently denied the allegations against him, which he said were ‘baseless’.
‘They seem to be simple inventions, perhaps made for financial reasons, perhaps to gain notoriety,’ he was quoted as writing.
He has been stood down from the Rocky Horror Show pending a police investigation and internal investigation by the show.
The show continues without him.
Angela Scundi (pictured) and Erika Heynatz, who also allege Craig McLachlan sexually assaulted them in 2014, said they were ‘shocked’ by the production company’s claim
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