Ex-American Idol producer and So You Think You Can Dance co-creator Nigel Lythgoe sued again for sexual assault amid Paula Abdul allegations
A week after Paula Abdul publicly accused Nigel Lythgoe of sexual assault, new civil litigation has been filed alleging additional misconduct by the former American Idol producer and co-creator of So You Think You Can Dance. The latest complaint comes from two women who say they were contestants on an ABC reality series two decades ago, and it raises fresh allegations against Lythgoe related to an incident that allegedly occurred after the show’s finale party.
The suit, brought by two plaintiffs identified as Jane Doe K.G. and Jane Doe K.N., alleges sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual harassment and negligence against the defendant listed as John Roe N.L., a designation that has been confirmed in press reports to refer to Nigel Lythgoe. According to the filing, the incident took place in May 2003 after the single-season program’s finale celebration. The complaint states that the defendant promised to take the women to the studio to meet others, but instead drove them to a Los Angeles residence.
Plaintiffs claim defendant N.L. forced kisses and pushed himself against them
The Los Angeles Superior Court complaint, prepared by attorneys at Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team, lays out detailed allegations of unwanted sexual conduct. The filing says the defendant made persistent sexual advances toward both plaintiffs after they rejected his advances. It alleges that at one point the defendant lifted his sweater over Plaintiff K.G.’s head, enveloping her and attempting to kiss her while pressing his body close to hers. Plaintiff K.G. is said to have struggled to free herself and rejected the kiss.
The complaint further alleges that later the same evening the defendant pinned Plaintiff K.N. against a grand piano in the house, pressed his body against hers and forced his mouth and tongue onto her despite her repeated attempts to push him away and verbal objections. The filing states that when Plaintiff K.G. protested, the defendant reportedly stopped.
The plaintiffs are seeking a range of damages in the civil case and have requested a jury trial.
The new lawsuit has issues that could affect its legal footing
The complaint faces procedural issues that could complicate the case. The plaintiffs invoke California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which temporarily expanded the window for survivors to bring claims that otherwise would be barred by the statute of limitations. However, the law’s filing window closed on December 31, 2023, and the Jane Does’ complaint was filed on January 2, 2024—two days after that deadline. That timing discrepancy could prove significant in pre-trial motions challenging the filing.
The filing also contains an apparent clerical error: Jane Doe K.G.’s birthdate is listed as “born in November 1997,” which would make her a young child at the time of the alleged 2003 incident. The complaint’s authors and the plaintiffs are likely to correct such a typographical mistake, but the error will need amendment to avoid further procedural complications. Together, the late filing and the clerical mistake are issues the defense may raise early in litigation.
Paula Abdul bombshell lawsuit alleging Nigel Lythgoe sexually assaulted her
Separately, Paula Abdul has filed her own civil lawsuit alleging two separate incidents in which she says Nigel Lythgoe sexually assaulted her. In her complaint, she describes an incident during the early seasons of American Idol in which she alleges Lythgoe grabbed her breasts and genitals and attempted to kiss her while the production was traveling for auditions. Abdul also alleges a 2015 incident after she had signed on as a judge for So You Think You Can Dance, claiming Lythgoe forced himself on top of her on a couch and attempted to kiss her after inviting her to his home under the pretense of discussing business. She also alleges witnessing Lythgoe groping one of her assistants in 2015.
Abdul’s lawsuit asserts claims for sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence and negligence. She has named Lythgoe and several production companies associated with the shows in her suit. Abdul used the same California statute—the Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act—to file her claims within the law’s temporary window before the December 31, 2023 deadline.
In public statements reported by media outlets, Nigel Lythgoe has denied the allegations made by Paula Abdul. As the separate suits proceed, the litigation raises complex questions about timing, documentation and the scope of liability for producers and production companies involved in long-running television franchises. Both matters are now subject to the civil process, and the courts will determine how the competing claims and procedural issues are resolved.