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A few hours later american idol producer and So, you think you can dance creator and judge Nigel Lythgoe demanded that Paul Abdul’s sexual assault complaint be dismissed, a fourth accuser has filed a lawsuit. As in the three previous complaints, including Abdul’s, the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, accused Lythgoe of sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual harassment and negligence. Deadline reports.
The last December, Abdul sued Lythgoe for sexually assaulting her multiple times throughout their working relationship.. Abdul was a judge on American Idol from 2002 to 2009 and So You Think You Can Dance from 2013 to 2016, and Lythgoe was a judge on SYTYCD for 16 seasons. Abdul claims the first incident occurred during the “initial” seasons of American Idol. He alleges the second incident occurred when he visited Lythgoe’s home to discuss business opportunities. During the meeting, Abdul claims, Lythgoe tried to force himself on her. Ms. Abdul’s legal representation did not immediately respond to The AV Club’s request for comment.
On January 2, two contestants on the reality show All American Girl, which Lythgoe produced and directed, sued Lythgoe for sexual assault, battery and gender-based violence. Three days later she announced her departure from So You Think You Can Dance.
In a new filing issued by Lythgoe, the producer denies Abdul’s allegations, accusing his former colleague of abusing the “legal process for his own personal and selfish benefits.” Lythgoe vowed to “promote the spread of the truth,” stating that he is an “innocent victim of Abdul’s atrocious lies.” It was Lythgoe, the lawsuit argues, who “fought” to get Abdul on “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” despite what he characterizes as “the industry’s hesitancy” to work with her because of her alleged “drug-driven eratization.” behavior.”
Lythgoe accuses Abdul of a fabricated story, calling her “a well-researched fabulist, with a long history of telling crazy stories that are not tied to reality and are designed primarily to attract attention and make Abdul appear as the victim of a terrible misfortune.” . She points to a 1992 television interview in which Abdul claimed to have survived a plane crash with her then-husband Emilio Estevez, of which there is no record.
Following the publication of Lythgoe’s rebuttal, a fourth woman, also identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit against the producer over a 2018 incident. Like the other lawsuits, Doe claims that Lythgoe “suddenly forced himself on her.” The lawsuit says:
After a few minutes of professional speech, Lythgoe suddenly forced the plaintiff against the outside side wall of the property by pushing his knee between her legs and then began licking the plaintiff’s neck, touching her genitals and groping her all over. The plaintiff tried to get Lythgoe away from her, but he had her pinned against the wall so she couldn’t move. Lythgoe continued to grope and attempted to kiss the plaintiff.
Once the plaintiff was able to free herself from Lythgoe, she immediately abandoned the property and drove away. However, plaintiff was so shocked by her attack that she had to stop her car just one block from Lythgoe’s residence. Plaintiff then sat in her car shaking and crying for approximately thirty minutes before she was able to drive the rest of the way home.
Representatives for Lythgoe did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest lawsuit.