Nigel Lythgoe in March 2023.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
On Tuesday, the women filed the lawsuit against Lythgoe and an unnamed production company at the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County and were identified as Jane Does.TMZreported that the reality show and Lythgoe were the parties addressed in the suit as “John Roe N.L.” and “AAG,” citing sources.
A representative for Lythgoe did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Nigel Lythgoe in June 2023.Corine Solberg/Getty
Corine Solberg/Getty
The lawsuit alleges that Lythgoe would often interact with contestants and, on one occasion, “walked around the set and dressing rooms and openly swatted and groped Plaintiffs' and other contestants' buttocks” while they were wearing dance costumes.
The women claim that his behavior was “openly accepted,” as “employees, contractors, representatives, and agents saw this happen but did not act in any manner to condemn the action or prevent it from happening again.”
The lawsuit states that filming took place in Los Angeles from January 2003 to May 2003 and alleges that Lythgoe made unwanted “sexual advances” towards the women after a wrap party.
Lythgoe allegedly took an “unusual interest” in one of the women and “insisted” for her to “ride in his car to go back to the studio where everyone else was going” following the party. The other woman saw this and “decided to go with them to ensure her colleague was not left alone,” according to the lawsuit.
The formerAmerican Idolproducer allegedly took the women to his Los Angeles home, where they claim to have rejected his advances.
Nigel Lythgoe in December 2023.Phillip Faraone/Getty
Phillip Faraone/Getty
Lythgoe is alleged to have lifted his sweater over one woman’s head, “attempting to kiss her and pushing her body close to his,” and she allegedly “scrambled to release herself from his grasp.”
He allegedly pinned the other woman “against a grand piano in the house, pushed himself against her body, and forced his mouth and tongue onto her despite her numerous statements telling him not to and attempts to pull her face away from his” later that same night.
Lythgoedenied Abdul’s claimsin astatement to TMZ.
“I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for. … I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue,” he said. “But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
