American singer and dancer Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against British television executive Nigel Lythgoe for alleged sexual assault. Abdul claims that multiple instances of assault occurred while the pair worked together on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, with the first occurring during an early season of American Idol in the early 2000s. The lawsuit reportedly claims that Lythgoe assaulted Abdul in an elevator while on the road during regional auditions for the popular talent programme. Abdul alleges that she was able to escape from Lythgoe and immediately informed her representatives from her hotel room.
The second incident occurred over a decade later when Abdul claims she was invited to Lythgoe’s home in Los Angeles for what she thought was a professional meeting. It’s alleged that Lythgoe forced himself on her, telling her they would make an “excellent power couple”. Abdul claims she pushed him away and made it clear that she wasn’t interested. Abdul further claims that she witnessed Lythgoe assault one of his assistants during the filming of So You Think You Can Dance in Las Vegas.
According to reports, the court filing states that Abdul has remained silent for years out of fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career, as well as professional contracts that prohibited her from disclosing anything that might be deemed confidential business information or derogatory. Abdul’s lawsuit has been filed under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which came into effect a year ago and temporarily lifts the statute of limitations in sexual assault cases.
Spokespeople for neither Abdul nor Lythgoe have publicly commented on the case. The BBC has contacted Lythgoe’s representatives for a response
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More