Paula Abdul Accuses ‘American Idol’ Producer Nigel Lythgoe of Sexual Assault

Paula Abdul is accusing former American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance producer Nigel Lythgoe of multiple counts of sexual assault.

Rolling Stone reports Abdul filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, alleging Lythgoe sexually assaulted her on two occasions while she served as a judge of the reality show competitions.

Abdul is suing Lythgoe and the show’s production companies, 19 Entertainment Inc., FremantleMedia North America Inc., American Idol Productions Inc. and Dance Nation Productions Inc., for sexual assault/battery, sexual harassment, gender violence and negligence.

The first incident took place in the early 2000s when Abdul was a judge on American Idol. According to Abdul, Lythgoe assaulted her in an elevator while traveling for an Idol audition.

“Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat,” the suit said. “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.”