Paula Abdul has initiated legal action against Nigel Lythgoe, the former producer of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, accusing him of sexually assaulting her on two occasions.
The singer filed a lawsuit on Friday against Lythgoe and the production companies associated with the shows, claiming that the producer sexually assaulted her during one of the early seasons of American Idol and then again in 2014 while she was hosting So You Think You Can Dance.
According to documents obtained by Rolling Stone magazine, the lawsuit alleges that in one instance, Lythgoe sexually assaulted Abdul in a hotel elevator during their stay while traveling for auditions of the singing competition show. The suit does not specify the year of the incident but mentions that it occurred during the “initial seasons” of the show.
“Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat,” the complaint states. “Abdul attempted to push Lythgoe away from her. When the doors to the elevator opened, Abdul ran out and called one of her representatives in tears to inform them of the assault.” Paula Abdul has initiated
In a subsequent incident in 2014, the suit alleges Lythgoe sexually assaulted Abdul when she attended a dinner at his home, believing it to be a “professional invitation.”
“Toward the end of the evening, Lythgoe forced himself on top of Abdul while she was seated on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple,’” the suit states. “Abdul pushed Lythgoe off of her, explaining that she was not interested in his advances and immediately left.”
Abdul refrained from speaking out about these incidents due to fear of retaliation. Her contracts for both American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance explicitly stated she was “prohibited from publicly disclosing sensitive information” regarding the shows and their business affairs.
Additionally, Abdul claims she witnessed Lythgoe sexually assault one of her assistants in 2015 during the filming of So You Think You Can Dance. According to the singer, Lythgoe approached them from behind, pressed himself against the assistant, and began to grope her without consent.