Paula Abdul has accused former 香蕉视频直播淎merican Idol香蕉视频直播� producer Nigel Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the reality competition show, according to a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles also accuses Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left 香蕉视频直播淎merican Idol香蕉视频直播� and became a judge on Lythgoe香蕉视频直播檚 other competition show 香蕉视频直播淪o You Think You Can Dance.香蕉视频直播�
The Associated Press generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Abdul has done.
In a statement Saturday, Abdul香蕉视频直播檚 lawyer Douglas Johnson applauded the singer and dancer for speaking out publicly.
香蕉视频直播淚t was clearly a difficult decision to make, but Ms. Abdul knows that she stands both in the shoes and on the shoulders of many other similarly situated survivors, and she is determined to see that justice is done,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said.
Lythgoe said in a statement that he was 香蕉视频直播渟hocked and saddened香蕉视频直播� to hear of the allegations made by Abdul, who he said he considered a 香蕉视频直播渄ear香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渆ntirely platonic香蕉视频直播� friend.
香蕉视频直播淲hile Paula香蕉视频直播檚 history of erratic behavior is well known, I can香蕉视频直播檛 pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue,香蕉视频直播� Lythgoe said in the statement. 香蕉视频直播淏ut I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.香蕉视频直播�
The lawsuit states Abdul remained silent for years about the alleged assaults out of fear of retaliation by 香蕉视频直播渙ne of the most well-known producers of television competition shows.香蕉视频直播�
Before 香蕉视频直播淎merican Idol香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淪o You Think You Can Dance,香蕉视频直播� on which Lythgoe served as a judge for 16 seasons, he was a producer on the British show 香蕉视频直播淧op Idol,香蕉视频直播� which became a global franchise that includes the U.S. iteration starring Abdul.
According to the lawsuit, the first sexual assault occurred while Abdul and Lythgoe were on the road filming auditions for an earlier season of 香蕉视频直播淎merican Idol,香蕉视频直播� which premiered in 2002.
Abdul says Lythgoe groped her in the elevator of their hotel after a day of filming and 香蕉视频直播渂egan shoving his tongue down her throat.香蕉视频直播� Abdul pushed him away and ran to her hotel room when the elevator doors opened.
香蕉视频直播淚n tears, Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to inform them of the assault,香蕉视频直播� the lawsuit says, 香蕉视频直播渂ut ultimately decided not to take action for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired from American Idol.香蕉视频直播�
Abdul, a Grammy- and Emmy-winning artist, starred as a judge for the first eight seasons, leaving in 2009.
In 2015, Abdul became a judge on 香蕉视频直播淪o You Think You Can Dance,香蕉视频直播� appearing alongside Lythgoe.
Around that time, Abdul alleged in the lawsuit, Lythgoe forced himself on top of her during a dinner at his home and tried to kiss her. Abdul said she again pushed Lythgoe away and immediately left.
Abdul left the reality show after two seasons. She has not worked with Lythgoe since.
The lawsuit also accuses Lythgoe of taunting Abdul about the alleged assaults, saying to her years later that 香蕉视频直播渢hey should celebrate香蕉视频直播� because 香蕉视频直播渢he statute of limitations had run.香蕉视频直播�
Abdul filed the suit days before the Dec. 31 deadline of a California law that opened a one-year window for victims to file lawsuits involving sexual abuse claims after the statute of limitations has run out.
More than 3,700 legal claims were filed under that expired last month.
The Associated Press
