'Neighbours' star 'shunned by CSI:NY'

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Natalie Bassingthwaighte has apparently been snubbed by American television producers in her quest to crack the US.

The So You Think You Can Dance presenter auditioned for crime show CSI:NY, but was shocked when TV bosses didn't even bother to turn on the camera.

Bassingthwaighte told the Melbourne Herald Sun: "It was a shock to the system and a very humbling experience. It's one thing being in Australia, where a lot of people know who you are. But to start from scratch... it's going to take a while to hit my mark, feel comfortable and do the best work I can."

The actress, who used to play Izzy Hoyland in Neighbours, said that she fought a bout of depression after bad reviews for her first feature film Prey.

She said: "I couldn't function properly, I wasn't auditioning, I wasn't focused, I didn't like myself."