Actor Craig McLachlan has admitted he sent a video of himself "pretending to masturbate" while "fully clothed" to an actress he is suing for defamation.
McLachlan is suing the ABC, Nine Newspapers and actress Christie Whelan Browne over 2018 reports alleging he indecently assaulted, harassed, bullied and exposed himself to female cast members during the 2014 Australian tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
McLachlan denies all claims of sexual harassment and bullying in the stories and says they ruined his reputation and put an end to his acting career.
Under cross-examination in court Monday, the media's barrister, Michael Hodge QC, questioned McLachlan about a series of videos he sent to co-star Whelan Browne.
Mr Hodge asked McLachlan if he texted a video of him "purporting or pretending to masturbate", to which McLachlan responded, "fully clothed and not in a toilet, yes."
McLachlan was also accused of behaving crassly on set — something he strongly rejected, saying "I don't use the word crassness in theatre".
The 56-year-old was subsequently questioned about a 12-minute blooper reel filmed in 2014 while McLachlan was a cast member on the ABC's The Doctor Blake Mysteries.
Responding to questions from Mr Hodge, McLachlan admitted that in the video he is seen "pretending to masturbate the arms of the crew" and "running up and kissing members of the crew".
Mr Hodge also asked: "there's another thing you do on set; you do a performance when you have a banana, you pretend to fellate it?"
"Yes," McLachlan responded.
"And then appear to deep-throat it?" Mr Hodge questioned.
"The banana is already the appropriate shape but yes," McLachlan responded, adding that he didn't do it "all the time" but "it's a joke I would perform."
Under questioning, McLachlan then agreed that this "kind of sexual innuendo" was brought by him onto the set of the 2014 Rocky Horror Show.
Mr Hodge also suggested McLachlan manipulated co-star Whelan Browne into apologising for not congratulating him on being nominated for a 2014 Helpmann Award.
McLachlan told the court he "was confused" by her lack of public congratulations because "we were friends".
The jury heard that during this period, McLachlan emailed the show's director, Christopher Luscombe, referring to Ms Whelan Browne as a "horror" while also texting Whelan Browne, "I've always supported you".
Hodge suggested this was evidence of "manipulation" — a suggestion McLachlan denied.
McLachlan's team will have further opportunities to put forward their case as the trial continues.
Later this afternoon, McLachlan's cross-examination finished and his partner, orchestral conductor Vanessa Scammell, entered the witness box.
She described McLachlan as "a wreck" in the aftermath of the news reports and she became increasingly upset when testifying that his mental state was "so damaged … I could barely get a constructive sentence out of him".
"He was devastated, humiliated and betrayed," she told the court.
"He started to surf at night so [no one] would see him on the beach — such was his humiliation."
Ms Scammell will return to the stand tomorrow.
The defamation trial is expected to run for another four weeks and will hear from 11 women who have accused McLachlan of inappropriate behaviour, claims he strongly denies.
