LOS ANGELES, CA — Singer and dancer Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe, alleging sexual assault during her tenure as a judge on the reality competition show in the early 2000s.
According to multiple sources, the lawsuit, submitted Friday in Los Angeles, contends that Lythgoe also sexually assaulted Abdul after her departure from “American Idol” when she joined Lythgoe's other competition series, “So You Think You Can Dance."
The alleged victim is named due to her public disclosure. Abdul's attorney, Douglas Johnson, commended her decision to speak out, stating, “Ms. Abdul knows that she stands both in the shoes and on the shoulders of many other similarly situated survivors, and she is determined to see that justice is done.”
Responding to the allegations, Lythgoe expressed shock and sadness, maintaining that their relationship was purely platonic. He contested Abdul’s claims, citing her history of erratic behavior and denouncing the lawsuit as false.
The lawsuit asserts that Abdul refrained from disclosing the assaults for years, fearing reprisal from Lythgoe, a prominent figure in television competition show production.
Before their collaboration on “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” Lythgoe was involved with the British show “Pop Idol,” a precursor to the global franchise that included the U.S. version featuring Abdul.
According to the legal filing, the first assault allegedly occurred during the filming of auditions for an earlier season of “American Idol” in 2002. Abdul claims Lythgoe groped her in a hotel elevator and forcefully kissed her, prompting her to immediately report the incident to a representative. However, she decided against pursuing action out of fear of repercussions.
Abdul, a Grammy- and Emmy-winning artist, served as a judge for the initial eight seasons of “American Idol,” departing in 2009. She joined “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2015, working alongside Lythgoe for a brief period before leaving the show after two seasons.
The lawsuit also alleges that Lythgoe further harassed Abdul by making insensitive comments regarding the expired statute of limitations on the alleged assaults.
Abdul lodged the suit shortly before the Dec. 31 deadline set by a California law, granting a one-year window for victims to file lawsuits related to sexual abuse claims after the statute of limitations has lapsed.
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