In her submitting, obtained by E! Information, Abdul, 61, particulars two incidents of alleged sexual assault by Lythgoe, 74. The primary allegedly occurred throughout certainly one of American Idol‘s preliminary seasons, whereas Abdul and Lythgoe have been on the highway for the present’s regional auditions. It states that whereas the 2 have been inside a resort elevator, the producer groped the singer and kissed her with out her consent.
Abdul says that she tried to push him away and inform him his habits was not acceptable and that she quickly ran out and instructed certainly one of her reps in regards to the incident however “in the end determined to not take motion for worry that Lythgoe would have her fired from American Idol.”
Abdul additionally alleges in her lawsuit that Lythgoe sexually assaulted her once more years later, across the time she labored as certainly one of his co-judges on So You Assume You Can Dance, a actuality dance competitors sequence he co-created.
The singer, who starred on the present in that capability between 2015 and 2016, says in her submitting that he had invited her to dinner at his house “to debate different alternatives for the 2 to work collectively” and that she accepted the invitation. Abdul alleges that towards the tip of the night, Lythgoe pressured himself on high of her whereas she was seated on his sofa and “tried to kiss her whereas proclaiming that the 2 would make a wonderful ‘energy couple.'”
