Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against former “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance” producer Nigel Lythgoe, alleging that he sexually assaulted her.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Friday, alleges that Lythgoe sexually assaulted Abdul during one of the “initial seasons” of “Idol.”
Abdul was a judge for eight seasons starting in 2002 and then again in 2014 when she hosted “SYTYCD.”
According to her suit, Lythgoe allegedly “shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat. 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.”
Years later, the singer, 61, accepted a dinner invitation from Lythgoe, 74, at his home, under the belief that it was a “professional invitation.”
The suit reads that “toward the end of the evening, Lythgoe forced himself on top of Abdul while she was seated on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple.’ Abdul pushed Lythgoe off of her, explaining that she was not interested in his advances and immediately left.”
A non-disclosure agreement was signed by Abdul as part of her employment on both shows, which prevented her from publicly disclosing “sensitive information.”
She also delayed coming forward out of fear of retaliation from Lythgoe. She disclosed that at one point, Lythgoe called to taunt her, saying that it had been “seven years and the statute of limitations had run” on her window to file a lawsuit.
Thanks to California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, a one-year opening to file certain sexual abuse lawsuits that would otherwise be outside the statute of limitations is allowed. The deadline to file is Dec. 31.
In addition to Lythgoe, Abdul’s suit also names American Idol Productions, Dance Nation Productions, 19 Entertainment, and Fremantlemedia North America as defendants, PEOPLE reported.
