Nigel Lythgoe Sued for Sexual Assault by Fourth Accuser, Claims Are Eerily Similar to Paula Abdul's Accusations
Nigel denied her allegations, claiming she provided "absolutely no substantiating evidence" to back them up.
March 5 2024, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Nigel Lythgoe has been hit with another lawsuit by a fourth accuser, who claimed the American Idol executive forced himself on her at his home — an eerily similar accusation that Paula Abdul made against the TV hitmaker, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The woman who filed the lawsuit is identified only as Jane Doe. She claimed she had worked professionally with Lythgoe and met him at his L.A. house for a meeting in 2018 when the alleged incident happened.
The TV executive denied her allegations.
“After a few minutes of professional discourse, Lythgoe suddenly forced [her] against the property’s exterior side wall by shoving his knee between her legs and then started licking [her] neck, touching her genitalia, and groping her all over,” her lawsuit obtained by The Blast read.
“[She] tried to push Lythgoe away from her but he had her pinned against a wall so that she could not move. Lythgoe continued to grope and tried to kiss [her.]"
Doe said she was “able to break free of Lythgoe” and “immediately” left his home and drove away from the property — however, she was allegedly so shaken that she only made it a block away.
She said she sat in her vehicle crying for approximately 30 minutes before she could drive the rest of the way home.
Paula sued Nigel last year, claiming he sexually assaulted her twice during her 'American Idol' and 'So You Think You Can Dance' stints.
According to Doe, Lythgoe quit using her professionally after she allegedly broke free from his advances. She said the alleged assault left her "feeling horribly violated, shocked, guilty, humiliated, and embarrassed."
Doe claimed the "emotional and psychological distress was severe and lasting to this day," which has impacted her professional life and marriage.
In Doe's lawsuit, she claimed she “became withdrawn in many of her personal relationships. especially in her marriage, [she] and her husband almost divorced and had to begin couple’s therapy.”
“[She] also experienced and continues to experience anxiety and distress when touched by other persons. Overall, Lythgoe’s sexual assault and battery was so traumatizing that she no longer feels like the confident, capable, and independent woman that she was before the incident," she alleged.
A California judge dismissed Nigel Lythgoe from a sexual assault lawsuit brought by two contestants from his reality show, 'All American Girl.'
Doe is asking for damages related to the “severe emotional distress, mental anguish, remorse, guilt, humiliation, and embarrassment" she claimed she suffered after the alleged assault.
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Lythgoe for comment.
Doe is the fourth woman to sue the So You Think You Can Dance executive — who stepped down from the reality show following Abdul's explosive lawsuit.
As this outlet reported, the Straight Up singer sued Lythgoe in December 2023 for sexual assault, claiming he forced himself on her during her stints as a judge on Idol and SYTYCD, with one alleged incident happening at his home.
Abdul claimed Lythgoe invited her to his L.A. abode to discuss career opportunities. She said she accepted under the pretense it was a work situation, but their interaction was anything but professional.
In Adul's lawsuit, she accused Lythgoe of forcing himself on top of her as she sat on his couch and allegedly tried kissing her. She claimed he told her they'd make an "excellent power couple" before she pushed him off of her, said she wasn't interested, and beelined it out of his house. Lythgoe denied her allegations.
Paula Abdul sued him in December, claiming he forced himself on her twice during her stints on 'American Idol' and 'So You Think You Can Dance.'
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But the TV veteran was also slapped with a 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.
The ladies 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.
Doe's lawsuit against Lythgoe comes just hours after Nigel filed his response to Abdul's accusations. He denied any sexual abuse took place, claiming her "erratic behavior" and alleged drug use discredit her character and allegations.
RadarOnline.com reached out to Abdul's team for comment.
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