Craig McLachlan.com

[markfc]

ACTOR and would-be comedian Craig McLachlan secretly fathered a child to British soap star Charlotte Avery while he was trying to build an overseas career.
McLachlan's son Jacob is now four and lives with his Eastenders-star mother in London, but McLachlan says he regularly visits the young boy.

"He's the absolute joy of my life, funny as hell," the former Neighbours star tells Andrew Denton in an interview on tomorrow night's Enough Rope.

"He is the most dazzling little thing on the face of God's earth."

In the interview, McLachlan also confronts his disastrous performance on The Footy Show and appears on the verge of tears when talking about the early death of his own father.

"I lost Dad at 14, just before my 15th birthday, after a lengthy, lengthy battle with cancer," he says.

"And he elected to die at home. Tough to watch."

He says while he and Jacob's mum are no longer together, they still have a "terrific relationship".

"She's in a relationship with another chap who I have a great relationship with.

"I kind of, in a weird sort of way, feel like I'm the auxiliary, stand-by dad as well. I mean I'm in a very, very lucky position."

"I just want to be around for a long time to enjoy him (and to see) the little things I missed out on with Dad, like talking about your first girlfriend and, you know, having your first shave."

He admits his recent appearance on The Footy Show, where he "died" as a stand-up comedian, was a big mistake and humiliating.

Enough Rope with Andrew Denton goes to air tomorrow night at 9.30 on ABC TV.