Paula Abdul.
Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty ImagesPaula Abdul has settled her sexual assault lawsuit against her American idol out of court, but her lawsuit for sexual assault and assault against the producer Nigel Lythgoe will be in court next year.
In December 2023, Abdul, 61, filed a lawsuit accusing Lythgoe, 74, and the series’ production companies of sexual assault, sexual harassment, gender-based violence and negligence. Abdul recently filed her claims against production companies FremantleMedia North America, American Idols Productions, 19 Entertainment and Dance Nation Productions, deadline reported on Tuesday, April 30. In the meantime, her claims against Lythgoe will be heard by a jury, scheduled to begin in July 2025.
According to court documents, Abdul accused the former American idol producer who attacked her twice.
The Grammy winner claimed the first assault took place in a hotel elevator in the early 2000s. The document states: “Lythgoe pushed Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts and began sticking his tongue down her throat.”
Although on the surface Hollywood appears to be full of glitz and glamour, the industry has seen its fair share of scandals over the years. The New York Times and The New Yorker first published investigative pieces in 2017 accusing disgruntled film producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual assault and harassment. Soon after, Weinstein stood trial and was convicted […]
Abdul served as chief judge for American idol in seasons 1 to 8 and was also a guest judge in seasons 9, 12, 15 and 21.
After the huge success of the show Simon FullerWho created Idol, and Lythgoe, developed a new competition show, So you think you can dance. Abdul was a guest judge in the tenth season and became the main judge in seasons 12 and 13.
According to her lawsuit, the second assault occurred during a meeting for the new show at Lythgoe’s home in Los Angeles.
“Towards the end of the evening, Lythgoe forced himself to straddle Abdul while she sat on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple,'” it says of the complaint.
A golden ticket doesn’t mean easy travel! Since American Idol premiered in June 2002, the show, its judges and contestants have been the subject of numerous scandals and controversies. Before the days of voting via app for your favorite contestant, fans reported an unfair voting system during the first season of American Idol, as […]
“At one point, Lythgoe called Abdul and taunted them that they should celebrate because it had been seven years and the statute of limitations had expired,” the document continued. “Lythgoe clearly knew that his attacks on Abdul were not only wrong, but that he also had the power to silence them.”
Lythgoe denied the allegations in a statement to Us weekly after the lawsuit was originally filed.
“Although Paula’s history of erratic behavior is known, I cannot understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue,” he responded at the time. “But I can promise that I will fight this horrific slander with everything I have.”
In March, his lawyers wrote in a court filing: “Lythgoe will continue to work to spread the truth – which confirms that Abdul is not a victim of sexual assault by Lythgoe, but that it is Lythgoe who was a victim of Abdul’s horrific actions.” Lie.”
When So You Think You Can Dance debuted on FOX in 2005, a group of dance experts were tasked with discovering the best up-and-coming artists. Nigel Lythgoe, who co-created the competition series with Simon Fuller, has served as one of the long-time judges since the first season premiered. But after the audition there was music and amazement […]
Abdul’s legal team responded: “Mr. Lythgoe’s response to Ms Abdul’s complaint is classic victim shaming.”
Following Abdul’s lawsuit, Lythgoe was named in three lawsuits filed by anonymous women with similar claims.
Amid the allegations, Lythgoe withdrew So you think that you can dance, where he has served as a juror and executive producer since its premiere in 2005. He was replaced by JoJo Siwa.