Paula Abdul and Nigel Lythgoe
Leon Bennett/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Paula Abdul sued Nigel Lythgoe, ex American Idol And So you think you can dance producer, claiming that he sexually assaulted her twice.
The singer filed a lawsuit on Friday against Lithgow and the show's production companies, alleging that the producer sexually assaulted her during one of the series' first seasons. American IdolThen in 2014 while hosting it So you think you can dance.
In one case, according to documents he obtained Rolling Stone magazineThe lawsuit alleges that Lithgow sexually assaulted Abdul in the elevator of the hotel they were staying at while they were traveling to an audition for a singing competition. The lawsuit does not state the year the incident occurred, but claims it occurred during the series' “initial seasons.”
“Lithgow pushed Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat,” the complaint states. “Abdul tried to push Lithgow away from her. When the elevator doors opened, Abdul ran out of the elevator and into her hotel room. Abdul quickly called one of her representatives in tears to inform them of the assault.
Years later, the lawsuit alleges that Lithgow sexually assaulted her again in 2014 when she was invited to his house for dinner. The complaint said Abdul attended the dinner only because she thought it was a “professional invitation.”
“At the end of the evening, Lithgow forced himself on Abdul while she was sitting on his couch and attempted to kiss her while declaring that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple’.” Rolling Stone The lawsuit stated he said. “Abd pushed Lithgow away from her, made it clear that she was not interested in his advances and left immediately.”
Abdul said in the lawsuit that she did not speak publicly about any of the allegations because she feared retaliation in the wake of the two alleged incidents. Abdul contracts on both American Idol And So you think you can dance It also specified that she was “prohibited from publicly disclosing sensitive information” regarding the shows and her business affairs, according to the complaint.
Elsewhere in the lawsuit, Abdul said she also witnessed Lithgow sexually assault one of her assistants at the time during filming So you think you can dance In 2015. The singer claims that Lithgow “approached Abdul and he pressed April from behind and began groping her. April did not consent.”
Abdel's lawsuit alleges that Lithgow proceeded to harass her over the phone about his behavior and alleged incidents, and said he “clearly knew that his assaults on Abed were not only wrong, but he had the ability to keep them silent.”
Lithgow produced American Idol From 2002 to 2014 it was produced So you think you can dance From 2005 to 2014.
In addition to Lythgoe, show production companies American Idol Productions, Dance Nation Productions, 19 Entertainment and Fremantlemedia North America are also listed as defendants in the lawsuit.
Hollywood Reporter I have reached out to Lythgoe's representatives American Idol To comment.
