Craig McLachlan Pulls Out Of ‘Cluedo’ Stage Production After Facing Backlash

Actor Craig McLachlan has taken to social media to announce that he has pulled out of the Australian version of the Cluedo stage production, after receiving backlash since the cast announcement dropped last week. 

McLachlan described the negative reaction online he’s received since the cast announcement of next year’s national tour of Cluedo as a form of “bullying”.

“In the hours and days that followed, a focused social media campaign was deployed from within the theatre community, aggressively targeting the two other actors named alongside me, members of the production team, the director of the production, and everyday individuals who simply expressed their delight at my return to mainstream theatre,” he said.

‘The bullying even extends to my partner Vanessa, our friends and family. 

“Make no mistake, this is bullying.”

He speaks on the extent of these “bullying” which reached cast members, beloved partners, and friends and family.

Craig McLachlan backlash over previous accusations of sexual harassment

The backlash was related to the Australian actor’s assault accusations made during his 2014 encore tour of The Rocky Horror Show, where he played Frank-N-Furter.

He faced 13 indecent and common law assault charges against four female actors during the Melbourne run of the production.

In 2020, he was found not guilty seven counts of indecent assault and six counts of assault, although “result may have been different” if current consent laws were applied, stated by the judge. 

“The law requires me to apply the law as it stood at the time of the alleged offending,” she said.

In McLachlan’s social media post, he said he was concerned about the backlash’s effect on the rest of the cast. 

“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 negatively impact any of the other actors,” he said.

“I cannot and will not let my involvement in a show result in good people being targeted by trolls and bullied.

“I have therefore made the decision to withdraw from the production.”

He wrote the statement on 15 September, but its release on Instagram was postponed following the passing of McLachlan’s mother, whom he had been caring for.

The McLachlan team finished off the statement by asking for respect and care during their time of grief, “We now ask you to let Craig and Vanessa live a life of peace and respect them during this time of grief – With deepest sympathy and care, Craig & Vanessa’s Support Team.”

Following the allegations and announcement of innocence, McLachlan filed a defamation proceedings in 2018 against The Sydney Morning Herald, the ABC and performer Christie Whelan Browne but eventually dropped it in 2022.

McLachlan was supposed to play as Colonel Mustard in Cluedo premiering around Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane in 2026.