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Nigel Lythgoe Charged for Sexual Assault Twice

Nigel Lythgoe, the producer of popular shows So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol, faces a second sexual assault suit on Tuesday. This is only days after he was sued by Paula Abdul, who was a judge on both shows. By: Dylan Low

The new lawsuit shows that Lythgoe encountered allegations from two contestants on All American Girl, a competition show that had broadcasted on ABC in 2003.

The women were acknowledged in the suit as Jane Doe K.G. and Jane Doe K.L., with the claim that the producer took them to a house after the show’s wrap party and made sexual moves on both of them. One of them accused him of pulling his sweater over her head and tried to kiss her, while the other alleges that he pinned her against a grand piano and forced his tongue onto her face as she attempted to move away.

More details of the lawsuit state that during show filming, Lythgoe had entered the set as he swatted and groped the contestants’ bottoms.

Lythgoe is mentioned in the suit only as John Roe N.L., as the show is identified with its initials, A.A.G. Lythgoe’s representative has not replied to a request for comment.

For his first case, Abdul had sued Lythgoe last Friday, attesting that he molested her and forcibly kissed her in an elevator around 20 years ago. She alleged that after many years, Lythgoe invited her to his home and once again attempted to force himself on her when she was sitting on his home couch.

Lythgoe dismissed Abdul’s allegations through a statement released on Saturday, claiming they were both “false” and “deeply offensive.”

Both lawsuits file under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which ensures for a one-year window to file lawsuits that would have been too old under the statute of limitations.

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