Paula Abdul Accuses Nigel Lythgoe of Sexually Assaulting Her

Paula Abdul filed a lawsuit on Friday, alleging that she was sexually assaulted twice by Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of the TV shows American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. According to the lawsuit, Lythgoe sexually assaulted her in an elevator during one of the early seasons of American Idol, reports Variety.

She alleges that after being pushed against a wall by him, he groped her breasts and genitals and pushed his tongue down her throat. According to the lawsuit, per the outlet, she attempted to push him away and ran back to her room when the hotel door opened.

Lythgoe invited Abdul over for dinner years later when she was a judge on So You Think You Can Dance. Abdul accepted, thinking it would be a professional meeting. As per the suit, Lythgoe forced himself on top of her and attempted to kiss her while she sat on his couch. He said they would make a great “power couple.” As before, she pushed him away and fled his home, the lawsuit claims.

Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Lythgoe of verbal harassment and bullying and says Abdul had been discriminated against and paid less on American Idol than male judges. Additionally, the lawsuit claims the show would be edited in a misleading way to portray her as incompetent. Abdul further alleges that in April 2015, Lythgoe assaulted one of her assistants, groping her without consent and pressing against her.

“For years, Abdul has remained silent about the sexual assaults and harassment she experienced on account of Lythgoe due to fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career as a television personality and of being ostracized and blackballed by an industry that had a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment,” the lawsuit states.

In the suit, Lythgoe’s behavior is cited as common knowledge across the board, referencing a MADtv parody where Lythgoe was seen harassing contestants. It is alleged in the lawsuit that Lythgoe once called Abdul, taunting her by saying that it had been “seven years and the statute of limitations had run.”

A non-disclosure agreement was part of Abdul’s contract with both reality shows, prohibiting her from revealing confidential or derogatory information, according to Variety.

Abdul filed suit under a law called the Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, which creates a one-year window within which to bring a charge under the law that would otherwise fall outside of the statute of limitations. The deadline to file a claim is Dec. 31.

In addition, Abdul filed lawsuits against 19 Entertainment, FremantleMedia North America, American Idol Productions, and Dance Nation Productions, alleging that they failed to take action against Lythgoe and protected him from punishment.