Neighbours star Craig McLachlan unrecognisable after acquittal and reunion snub
He was the blonde Neighbours hunk who got viewers' pulses racing, but so much has changed for Craig McLachlan since leaving Erinsborough behind all those years ago.
Things are very different since his soap heyday as he recovers from the fall out after sexual assault allegations which he was later cleared of in court – but he says the claims "ruined" his life.
Craig appeared as Henry Ramsay in more than 800 episodes of the popular Australian show and had fans falling at his feet. He also had a UK chart hit with his track Mona, which reached number 2 in 1990.
Actor Craig shone as the curly-haired joker in the Aussie programme as the son of Madge, played by Anne Charleston, and brother of mechanic Charlene, of played by music icon Kylie Minogue.
He burst onto our screens as cheeky Henry Ramsay back in 1988 (Mirrorpix)
Craig cried as he admitted his life was 'ruined' by sex assault claims (Seven)After leaving, he even went on to have a stint on rival soap Home & Away. Fast forward 34 years, and the actor looks totally different from his soap days as he sports a bushy grey beard.
'My selfish neighbour stole our parking spot - my revenge means he'll regret it'
Craig, 58, is a world away from the person many grew up watching – and it seems a lot has happened in his life since exiting Ramsay Street.
Back in 2020 he was cleared of all allegations that he assaulted four women during a stage show in his native Australia.
Craig faced seven charges of indecent assault and another six of common assault, but had consistently denied them all.
Craig was famous for his dungarees and romances on the show (Mike Daines/REX/Shutterstock)
The actor before he grew a beard and cut his hair (Seven)He was found not guilty of all 13 charges by a magistrate in Sydney after the allegations arose from an Australian production in 2014.
In a video filmed afterwards, Craig broke down in tears as he said the claims had "ruined" his life.
"You see this is not just about a headline for the day, this is ruining lives," he said in the video filmed with his partner Vanessa Scammell.
He went on: "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."
Last year, Craig said that "cancel culture" had led to him being barred from the then-final episodes of Neighbours.
He was awarded a $500,000 payout after being acquitted but the dark cloud hasn't moved from over his head.
Craig said he was shunned as a result of the assault allegations, and had to watch his co-stars including Kylie and Ian Smith appear without him.
'Neighbour outraged I ignored the door when they knocked - and said I'm selfish'
He still has a passion for music after touring the UK and Europe with his band, Check 1-2, back in the 90s. Craig has quite the theatre acting CV, too.
In the London West End revival of the musical Grease, as well as appearing in The Rocky Horror Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Chicago.
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