Nigel Lythgoe, the former judge of So You Think You Can Dance, is now facing a new sexual assault lawsuit, just days after Paula Abdul accused the former judge of multiple counts of sexual assault.
Two competitors from the 2003 reality competition show All American Girl have accused 74-year-old Lythgoe of sexual assault/battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
The woman, known only as Jane Does, filed the lawsuit at the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County on Tuesday. According to TMZ, the suit calls Lythgoe and the reality show “AAG” and “John Roe N.L.,” respectively. PEOPLE’s request for comment has not yet received a response from Lythgoe’s representative.
Nigel Lythgoe is accused of acting inappropriately
Nigel Lythgoe is accused of acting inappropriately while filming the 2003 reality competition series All American Girl, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs and other competitors were accused by the court documents of being openly swatted and groped by Lythgoe while they were dressed as dancers.
The women claim that the show’s workers, contractors, representatives, and agents saw this behavior frequently and accepted it without denouncing or stopping it.
One woman claims Lythgoe lifted her sweater over her head, tried to kiss her, and pushed her in close to him, making her squirm to get away. Another woman claims that in spite of her protests and attempts to pull away, he pressed himself against her, pinned her against a grand piano, and forced her to kiss him.
This follows Paula Abdul’s claims that Lythgoe sexually assaulted her while they were working together. Abdul claimed in her lawsuit, which was filed on Friday, that Lythgoe had sexually assaulted her twice: once while she was on SYTYCD and once during the early seasons of Idol. She also claimed that he had molested her assistant sexually.
Nigel Lythgoe disputed Abdul’s claims
In a statement given to TMZ, Lythgoe disputed Abdul’s claims, expressing strong disapproval and outrage at the charges. Not only are the allegations untrue, he claimed, but they also offend him and his values greatly. Lythgoe said he didn’t understand why Abdul was bringing a lawsuit based on what he thought were false accusations.
He pledged, in spite of the situation, to vigorously combat what he views as an unbelievable smear and to defend himself with all the tools at his disposal.
Paula Abdul Sues Nigel Lythgoe
Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, alleging that he has sexually assaulted her multiple times. Lythgoe vigorously disputes this claim. The lawsuit claims that Lythgoe, an executive producer on both American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, sexually assaulted Abdul in the early seasons of Idol and later when she was a cast member of SYTYCD. It was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday. Abdul goes on to say that he molested her assistant.
Abdul filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe, 19 Entertainment Inc., FremantleMedia North America Inc., American Idol Productions Inc., and Dance Nation Productions Inc., citing the Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act. In a statement to TMZ, Lythgoe addressed the claims, calling them “false” and expressing shock and regret.
PEOPLE’s request for comment has not yet received a response from Lythgoe, Abdul, 19 Entertainment Inc., or FremantleMedia North America Inc. representatives. According to the lawsuit, Dance Nation Productions Inc. is a subsidiary of 19 Entertainment Inc., and American Idol Productions Inc. is a subsidiary of Fremantle.
The first incident allegedly happened in the early 2000s when American Idol participants Paula Abdul, 60, and Nigel Lythgoe, 74, were involved, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. According to the lawsuit, Lythgoe sexually molested Abdul, a judge on the show from 2002 to 2009, while the two of them were traveling for regional Idol auditions in one of the show’s early seasons.
According to the lawsuit, “Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts and began shoving his tongue down her throat” after they entered an elevator. According to the document, Abdul attempted to shoo Lythgoe away and tell him that his actions were wrong.
After the alleged assault, Abdul reportedly called one of her representatives, tearfully recounting the incident, but chose not to take action “for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired from American Idol.”
The lawsuit also claims that Abdul experienced discrimination in terms of compensation and benefits compared to a male judge and the host of the show. Additionally, she alleges being a target of constant taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment during her tenure on the show.
