Nigel Lythgoe denies Paula Abdul’s claims of sexual assault
Nigel Lythgoe refused Paula Abdulallegations that he sexually assaulted her.
“To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement,” the former prime minister said. American Idol executive producer, 74, said in a statement to TMZ on Saturday, December 30. “For more than twenty years, Paula and I have worked together as dear – and completely platonic – friends and colleagues.”
He continued: “However, yesterday out of the blue I heard about these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply insulting to me and everything I stand for.”
He concluded, “While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I cannot pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is not true. But I can promise that I will fight this terrible slander with everything I have.”
Lythgoe did not elaborate on what he meant by “erratic behavior.”
Abdul, 61, filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe on Friday, December 29, as well as 19 Entertainment Inc., American Idol Productions Inc. and Dance Nation Productions Inc. She is seeking a jury trial and damages for sexual assault/abuse, sexual harassment and gender violence, according to court documents obtained by We weekly.
The filing details multiple alleged incidents, including one in an elevator during an early season of American Idolwhere Abdul served as a judge for eight seasons from 2002 to 2009.
American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe poses with judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul on May 25, 2005.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images“As they entered the elevator, Lythgoe pushed Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts and began shoving his tongue down her throat,” the court documents allege. “Abdul tried to push Lythgoe away from her and let him know his behavior was not acceptable. When the elevator doors to her floor opened, Abdul ran out of the elevator and to her hotel room. In tears, Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to inform them of the attack, but ultimately decided to take no action for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired. American Idol.”
Her claims relate to incidents that occurred over several years, including one alleged incident around 2015, when Abdul was working on it So you think you can dancewhich produces Lythgoe’s executive power.
“Lythgoe invited her to dinner at his home to discuss other opportunities for the two to work together. Abdul believed this was a professional invitation and accepted it,” the filing said. ‘Towards the end of the evening, however, Lythgoe forced himself to sit on top of Abdul while she sat on his couch and tried to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple’. Abdul pushed Lythgoe off her, explaining that she was not interested in his advances, and immediately left Lythgoe’s house. As with the previous incident, Abdul feared that she would be retaliated against if she spoke out about the incident.”
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ judges through the years: who left and why
Help find America’s favorite dancer! When So You Think You Can Dance debuted on FOX in 2005, a panel of dance experts and enthusiasts were called in to find the best emerging artists. Nigel Lythgoe, who co-created the dance competition series with Simon Fuller, has been one of the longtime judges since the season 1 premiere. However, […]
Abdul filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, which gave victims a year to file sexual abuse lawsuits that would otherwise fall outside the statute of limitations. The deadline ends on Sunday, December 31.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).