TV PRODUCER NIGEL LYTHGOE ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT BY PAULA ABDUL
By Desiree Murphy
Published Dec. 30, 2023, 9:49 a.m. ET
Paula Abdul is suing Nigel Lythgoe, claiming her former boss sexually assaulted her multiple times. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles and obtained by Page Six, alleges that Lythgoe sexually assaulted Abdul in a hotel elevator during the filming of “American Idol” in one of the show’s initial seasons. The court documents state that Lythgoe shoved Abdul against a wall, grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat.
Abdul also claims that another incident happened while she was a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance,” where Lythgoe invited her over for dinner and forced himself on top of her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple,’ according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges that Lythgoe verbally insulted and belittled Abdul in a meeting before she officially signed on to judge “American Idol” and that she witnessed Lythgoe sexually assault one of her assistants in 2015.
Abdul further alleges that Lythgoe “knew and was aware” that his treatment of her was “inappropriate and even criminal.” The lawsuit was filed under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, which gives plaintiffs a one-year window to file claims that would otherwise be outside the statute of limitations.
Reps for Lythgoe did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
The lawsuit also lists the production companies for “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance” as defendants, alleging “sexual assault/battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, and negligence” as causes of action.
Reps for Abdul and Lythgoe did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.