'I went to the ATM and couldn't withdraw five quid'- Neighbours star Craig McLachlan reveals his rock bottom during his sexual assault trial and how he has finally rebuilt his life

Craig McLachlan has revealed the devastating toll of his years-long legal battle, admitting he hit rock bottom as mounting legal bills and professional isolation upended his life.

The Australian actor, 61, who was acquitted of 13 charges of assault and indecent assault following a four-week trial in December 2020, told the Daily Mail the ordeal took a heavy toll on both his personal and professional life.

Once a fixture of Australian television, McLachlan found himself facing an uncertain future as allegations relating to productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show threatened to derail his decades-long career.

'The lows were low, no doubt about it. Me being an innately upbeat, positive guy, the lows hit me particularly hard,' McLachlan began.

The Doctor Blake Mysteries star also revealed the financial strain of fighting the charges, describing the legal costs as almost incomprehensible. 

'I went to the ATM and couldn't get five quid out!' he recalled. 

When an opportunity arose to work in Canada, he was ready to take it, despite the prospect of enduring freezing conditions.

'So, my agent said to me things like "there is something filming in Canada... but you will freeze your a**e off!" I'm like, "Okay!",' he said.

'I thought, "Okay, I can get through this. If I have to go film a movie in the wilds of Uzbekistan, I can do that!"

McLachlan had a stark warning for anyone facing the prospect of paying their own legal bills.

'For anyone thinking about digging into their pocket to pay for court stuff, I would say jump on a rocket and take up residence on the moon... because it is more expensive than anyone can imagine,' he said.

However, there was one shining light throughout the ordeal, his long-term partner Vanessa Scammell, who remained firmly in his corner.

McLachlan credited her determination with helping him through some of his darkest moments, at a time when the future of his career was far from certain.

'It was a whole other level. Nothing prepares you for it! If it wasn't for Vanessa's determination... On those really, really dark days, she was the one who said, "If anyone can do this, you can!",' he said. 

He added that another particularly difficult aspect of the trial was having to postpone his wedding plans with Vanessa.

'We had actually planned it... but other people had other plans! But you never know, and as I embark on this new adventure, when we settle on a new date, you guys [Daily Mail] will be the first to know!' he said. 

The former Home and Away star added one of the hardest things about his trial was getting cut off from his soap opera friends, who he said were too scared to contact him.

'I was acquitted of all charges! There was a part of me when it was happening, I thought, "Oh gosh, I will never act again". To be back on stage doing a new play, it is just a dream,' he said. 

'When it all blew up a few years ago, people were scared. Since I was cleared, people have reached out saying sorry for not contacting me during it. They were scared to reach out and thought their phones had been bugged or could be subpoenaed. 

'There was a lot of fear around. I am forgiving. I am coming out of the darkness into the light!' 

The NSW-born actor is now focused on rebuilding his career and is appearing in a new stage production called Schadenfreude, which runs from October 28 until December 30 at the Spiegel Haus in Melbourne. 

It is one of his first acting jobs in years, having not appeared onscreen in a scripted role since 2017, when Doctor Blake was cancelled. 

McLachlan previously said he had suffered crippling anxiety as a result of the ordeal and had been apprehensive about a return to the limelight.

The former Neighbours star had been a fixture of the Australian entertainment industry for more than three decades before his career was derailed by the allegations. 

McLachlan has kept a low profile in recent years, but appeared on the reality series SAS Australia in 2023.