Pop star Paula Abdul filed a bombshell lawsuit on Friday accusing American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance producer Nigel Lythgoe of repeatedly sexually assaulting her while she was a judge on those shows.
The lawsuit, which was obtained by TMZ, was filed under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which gave accusers a one-year window, expiring Dec. 31, to press claims beyond the statute of limitations.
Abdul alleges that in the early years of Idol, Lythgoe cornered her in an elevator, tried to kiss her, and groped her breasts and genitals.
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She also alleged that in 2015, after accepting an invitation to Lythgoe’s home shortly after she signed a contract to judge SYTYCD, he threw himself on her and tried to kiss her.
Abdul, 61, says that Lythgoe, 74, even taunted her years later by noting that “the statute of limitations had run” and inviting her to celebrate, according to TMZ.
“Lythgoe knew and was aware that his treatment of Abdul was inappropriate and even criminal,” the suit alleges.
The suit also accuses several production companies of failing to protect her from Lythgoe. Abdul also claims she was underpaid compared to male judges.
Lythgoe vehemently denied the allegations, telling TMZ: “While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue.”
“For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear —and entirely platonic—friends and colleagues,” Lythgoe said. “I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.”
In a 2015 interview with The Daily Beast, Lythgoe talked about hiring her for SYTYCD in terms that now seem chilling.
“We’ve known each other for so long now,” the British dancer-turned-judge-turned-producer said of the “Straight Up” singer.
“To be honest, I was an admirer of Paula back in the U.K. before I came here to the States. To be able to work with her on Idol for all those years and see how she was mistreated by Simon...
“So abused and mistreated,” he said as Abdul listened. “I wanted to be the next person to abuse her.”
