Vanessa Scammell

Just over eight weeks later, on January the 8th, 2018, a story broke across every media outlet in the country.

Three women from the cast of the 2014 Rocky Horror Show had come forward alleging that Craig McLachlan was calculated, manipulative and a predator and that they had been the victims of bullying, harassment and indecent assault whilst working on the show.

Our friend Christy was one of the three women.

By late 2016, Craig had wrapped up what would prove to be the final season of the hugely successful ABC period drama, The Dr Blake Mysteries, in which he starred as the main protagonist, Dr Lucian Blake.

Lucy and Blake was a doctor and war veteran who had returned to his rural beginnings in the country town of Ballarat in the 1950s.

By the end of 2016, four complete seasons of the show had aired in Australia, enjoying consistent sky-high ratings.

In fact, the highest in the ABC's domestic drama history, routinely winning its time slot against all the other networks.

On Christmas Eve 2016, having just completed post-production on the latest Blake shoot, that being Series 5, Craig received a phone call from the show's creator.

The network had hit the producers with the executioner's axe.

The cast and crew were devastated, as were fans of the show, the hashtag Blake Army, who had formed a massive online fan base for all things Blake.

It's worth mentioning too that by this time the show's popularity had moved beyond Australia and was successfully airing in over 120 regions around the world.

Audiences loved the show.

Craig loved the show.

Craig loved his cast and crew.

And Craig loved the show's creator, George Adams.

Following the axing, Craig and George didn't hold back in voicing their disappointment and disbelief in the ABC's decision.

As shocking as the axing was, there had been moments early on, during production of the first few seasons, that indicated a less than enthusiastic ABC.

A number of emails that are in our possession composed by someone in senior management reveal not only a reluctance to embrace and celebrate the network's most popular show but seemingly a pervading apathy bordering on resentment.

One of these emails, leaked by an ABC employee, acknowledged that there was a general distaste for the show within the ABC.

The author of the email went on to attempt to rally the troops, effectively saying, Another of the emails contained the following.