McLachlan says his life was ruined by assault claims

In a new promo for the documentary-style news special to air on Channel 7 later this month, McLachlan appears in a video of himself and partner Vanessa Scammell who is wiping away tears while filming them.“You see this is not just about a headline for the day, but this is ruining lives,’’ an emotional McLachlan says.“Not just me, you want to crucify me, fine. Look what it’s done to my beautiful partner, look what it continues to do to my family every day.”The actor and singer’s career came to a halt three years ago when he was accused of indecent assault and harassment on the 2014 production of The Rocky Horror Show.He presents his side of the story for the first time in a paid interview alongside Scammell, with a series of video diaries and “full and frank” interviews, without a host as such.The first teaser of the Seven News-produced Spotlight dropped on Sunday night.In the promo, a bearded and dishevelled looking McLachlan says in a self recorded video: “How you going, been a while. Been a while since we last videoed anything together. “Hope your lives are good, treasure them, because they can be taken away like that.”Former Neighbours and The Doctor Blake Mysteries star McLachlan was charged with seven counts of indecent assault and six of common law assault. Australian actor Craig McLachlan has been found not guilty of assaulting several women while performing in a Melbourne musical in 2014. All of the charges were dismissed in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court late last year.Separate defamation proceedings against ABC and Fairfax and a former co-star were halted after Victoria Police laid criminal charges.Channel 7 confirmed McLachlan “will receive a fee” for the Seven News Spotlight: Horror Show.“The McLachlan family will receive a fee for the interview and related production expenses. The broadcast will adhere to the legal requirements in respective markets,’’ a Seven spokesperson said.Entertainment reporter Peter Ford speculated the fee could be between $200-400,000.“All the stress and huge legal bills, they go over $2 million so it’s a fraction of what he’s lost,’’ Ford told 6PR radio.Seven is teasing the documentary as “months in the making”, “new evidence”, “new eyewitnesses”, “never-before-seen footage” and “explosive revelations”.