CASE CLOSED

Paula Abdul Settles Sexual Assault Suit Against ‘American Idol’ Producer Nigel Lythgoe

Abdul accused Lythgoe of groping her in an elevator nearly 20 years ago when she was a judge on the popular singing show.

Paula Abdul has reached a settlement with American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe following a year-long sexual assault legal battle. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. “I am grateful that this chapter has successfully come to a close and is now something I can now put behind me...,” Abdul said in a statement. “I hope my experience can serve to inspire other women, facing similar struggles, to overcome their own challenges with dignity and respect, so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives.” Lythgoe continued to dispute Abdul’s accusations, claiming, “We live in a troubling time where a person is now automatically assumed to be guilty until proven innocent, a process that can take years,” in a statement. Abdul accused Lythgoe of groping her in an elevator nearly 20 years ago when she was a judge on American Idol. A decade later, when she was a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, she alleged Lythgoe invited her to his home and then attempted to forced himself on her. Lythgoe stepped down as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance in January after a second suit was filed accusing him of sexually assaulting two contestants on a different show. A third lawsuit was filed in March, accusing Lythgoe of sexually assaulting a woman at his home in 2018.