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Topics: American Idol, US News, Crime, Celebrity, Film and TV
Callum Jones
Topics: American Idol, US News, Crime, Celebrity, Film and TV
The American Idol producer sued by TV star Paula Abdul for alleged sexual assault said he wanted to be 'the next to abuse’ her in a resurfaced interview.
On Friday (29 December), Abdul filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles alleging Nigel Lythgoe - an executive of Americon Idol and former producer of So You Think You Can Dance - sexually assaulted her twice during the time she hosted the shows.
The 61-year-old claims the first alleged incident of sexual assault took place during the 'initial seasons' of American Idol.
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Lythgoe denies the allegations.
The lawsuit states: "Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat.
"Abdul attempted to push Lythgoe away from her. When the doors to the elevator for her door opened, Abdul ran out of the elevator and to her hotel room.
"Abdul quickly called one of her representatives in tears to inform them of the assault."
The second alleged incident took place in 2014 when Abdul and Lythgoe were both working on So You Think You Can Dance.
The lawsuit claims Abdul went to Lythgoe's house after believing it to be a 'professional invitation' to dinner.
"Toward the end of the evening, Lythgoe forced himself on top of Abdul while she was seated on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent 'power couple'.
"Abdul pushed Lythgoe off of her, explaining that she was not interested in his advances and immediately left," the suit continues.
The lawsuit claims Lythgoe knew what he'd done was 'inappropriate and even criminal' and 'taunted' her about how he'd gotten away with it on a phone call.
Abdul's lawsuit lists allegations from sexual assault and battery to sexual harassment, gender violence and negligence.
Following the lawsuit filing, an interview with the Daily Beast involving the pair has resurfaced online.
During the interview, they discussed Abdul's rocky relationship with Simon Cowell, with Lythgoe claiming the music mogul 'abused and mistreated' Abdul.
“We’ve known each other for so long now,” Lythgoe said at the time. "To be honest, I was an admirer of Paula back in the UK 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…"
"Oh, please," Abdul playfully interrupted and groaned.
"So abused and mistreated,” Lythgoe added. "I wanted to be the next person to abuse her."
Lythgoe has since released a statement denying all the claims, telling TMZ: "To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement.
"For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear - and entirely platonic - friends and colleagues.
"Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for."
UNILAD has previously contacted Nigel Lythgoe's representatives and American Idol for further comment.