Nigel Lythgoe Steps Down From Nonprofit to 'Clear His Name' After Sexual Assault Lawsuits
Nigel denied her allegations, claiming she provided "absolutely no substantiating evidence" to back them up.
Nigel Lythgoe has temporarily stepped down from his position at BritWeek, a nonprofit organization he co-founded in 2007, to focus on clearing his name, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
An insider confirmed the news to this outlet on Thursday, disclosing the decision was quietly made earlier this week as the television veteran focuses on fighting the two sexual lawsuits brought against him by three women, including singer Paula Abdul.
Abdul claimed he grabbed her breasts and genitals while trying to kiss her in an elevator.
Lythgoe started BritWeek to build relations with creative professionals in Britain and the United States. The nonprofit organizes several star-studded events every spring in Los Angeles to promote British innovation in film and television, music, art, design, philanthropy, and more.
The decision means Lythgoe will likely not take part in this year's events unless his legal woes disappear.
This is just the latest company that Lythgoe has distanced himself from in the wake of the allegations. The So You Think You Can Dance executive walked away from his show duties last week.
"I have informed the producers of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ of my decision to step back from participating in this year’s series. I did so with a heavy heart but entirely voluntarily because this great program has always been about dance and dancers, and that’s where its focus needs to remain," Lythgoe announced on Friday.
"In the meantime, I am dedicating myself to clearing my name and restoring my reputation."
Paula isn't the only one to step forward with allegations against Nigel.
Lythgoe has been freeing up his calendar for quite some time. RadarOnline.com confirmed that he resigned from the American Dance Movement — formerly Dizzy Feet — which he co-founded with Adam Shankman in 2010.
He's also offloading properties.
Lythgoe put his Toluca Lake home on the market for $5 million this week. He also dropped the asking price on the California winery he owns with Ken Warwick by a whopping $5.5 million.
As this outlet exclusively reported, Lythgoe slashed the property to $16.5 million in August — just months before Abdul filed her explosive lawsuit.
Lythgoe was later sued by two contestants on a short-lived reality show.
The Straight Up singer sued Lythgoe for sexual assault last month, claiming the TV executive forced himself on her during her stints as a judge on American Idol and SYTYCD. She included two alleged incidents in the suit and alleged Lythgoe called her to gloat that the statute of limitations had run out.
He denied her allegations — but she wasn't the only female to step forward.
Lythgoe was hit with a second lawsuit by two contestants from his short-lived competition show All American Girl. They accused him of showing up on the set and in the dressing rooms where he allegedly "openly swatted and groped" their butts.
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Two contestants from Nigel's short-lived competition show 'All American Girl' also sued the television executive after Abdul's allegations.
They claimed that Lythgoe, a producer on the 2003 program, insisted that one of the girls ride with him to the studio to meet the rest of the cast after their wrap party. The second plaintiff alleged she rode with them to protect her friend. Instead of taking them to the studio, Lythgoe's accusers alleged he took them to his home, where things reportedly escalated.
Deadline has since reported that Lythgoe is being investigated by Sony Pictures TV’s 19 Entertainment, which co-produces SYTYCD with Dick Clark Productions.
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