American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe has hit back at Paula Abdul after she accused him of sexual assault – revealing loving emails she sent him and branding her story ‘untethered from reality’.
Last year Abdul, 61, alleged Lythgoe, 74, sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions while working for him between 2002-2015, which were outlined in a civil lawsuit she filed in LA.
British star Lythgoe vehemently denied the claims in December, telling TMZ at the time: ‘To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement.
‘For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear – and entirely platonic – friends and colleagues. Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for.’
Now in new legal documents filed on Tuesday, Lythgoe has submitted positive emails Abdul sent over the years – as well as claiming her alleged substance abuse issues caused her to ‘drool and pass out in audition rooms’ during her time on Idol.
American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe has hit back at Paula Abdul after she accused him of sexual assault – revealing loving emails she sent him and branding her story ‘untethered from reality’ (pictured 2013)
Last year Abdul, 61, alleged Lythgoe, 74, sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions while working for him between 2002-2015, which were outlined in a civil lawsuit she filed in LA (pictured 2013)
In the documents obtained by TMZ, Lythgoe calls Abdul a ‘well-documented fabulist, with a long history of telling wild stories that are untethered from reality and are primarily designed to attract attention and make Abdul appear to be the victim of dreadful misfortune.’
A September 12 2014 email from Abdul to him reads in part: ‘Hi sweetheart — thank you for this lovely ‘gift.’ Please forgive me for not calling yesterday. Forever grateful to have you in my life! Love, love LOVE YOU! XO P.
Another, dated June 20, 2014, says: Thank you for the beautiful flowers — they were exquisite! But, I have to say the kicker was the birthday card last night. I am still howling! I truly appreciate our friendship and am looking forward to launching our project.’
The filing also includes Abdul’s public tweets at his account, starting in 2009 and continuing through 2015 when they both worked on So You Think You Can Dance?
Abdul shared photos of the pair together and tweeted on Thanksgiving: ‘I’m grateful that I met you too, Nigel! Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! xoxoP.’
Lythgoe claims the messages ‘show how Abdul really felt about Lythgoe during and after the time she now alleges abuse occurred.’
He claims he pushed for her to be hired on Idol and SYTYCD ‘despite the opposition from other executives due to Abdul’s already well-known erratic behavior.’
He also claims her alleged substance abuse issues caused concern for executives on Idol, alleging: ‘At her worst, Abdul was slurring her speech, unintelligible, drooling and passing out in audition rooms, having to be carried out on two separate occasions.’
Now in new legal documents filed on Tuesday, Lythgoe has submitted positive emails Abdul sent over the years – as well as claiming her alleged substance abuse issues caused her to ‘drool and pass out in audition rooms’ during her time on Idol.
Abdul has previously revealed her past dependency on painkillers, in 2009 she revealed she had been reliant on them for 12 years.
Lythgoe also said her ‘credibility has been called into question on a serious issue’ = the plane crash she says she survived in 1992.
In the documents, Lythgoe say: ‘There are no records whatsoever of the supposed plane crash. In one interview Abdul explained that she was able to keep the story under wraps with NDAs and because ‘there was no internet at the time.’ In another interview, she explained that at the time of the crash, there were ‘no computers.'”
Lythgoe is asking the court to dismiss Abdul’s lawsuit and he wants her to cover his attorney fees.
DailyMail.com has contacted Abdul’s representatives for comment.
In December Lythgoe claimed Abdul had a ‘history of erratic behavior’ despite hiring her to work on both his Fox talent competitions.
‘While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue,’ Lythgoe concluded.
‘But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.’
He claims he pushed for her to be hired on Idol and SYTYCD ‘despite the opposition from other executives due to Abdul’s already well-known erratic behavior (pictured in 2015 with judge Jason Derulo)
In a newly-surfaced Daily Beast interview from 2017, the 12-time Emmy nominee – nicknamed ‘Nasty Nigel’ – was quoted saying: ‘To be able to work with her on Idol for all those years and see how she was mistreated by Simon [Cowell]…so abused and mistreated. I wanted to be the next person to abuse her.’
Paula first alleged that she was ‘verbally insulted and belittled by Lythgoe’ during initial meetings to join American Idol in 2001 – according to TMZ.
Abdul stated that Nigel had told her ‘she was a “has been” celebrity and probably wouldn’t be known by the show’s contestants’ despite others believing ‘she was exactly what they were looking for.’
The two-time Emmy winner had ‘grave reservations about appearing on the show and informed her representatives about such concerns’ but both she and her team hoped that the incident was only a ‘one-time’ occurrence.
In the documents, Paula claimed that the first instance of sexual assault had happened during one of American Idol’s first seasons, while on the road for regional auditions.
‘One evening, following the day’s auditions, Lythgoe and Abdul entered the elevator of the hotel where they were staying,’ the legal docs read.
‘Upon entering the elevator, Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat.’
Lythgoe has vehemently denied the allegations (pictured in 2016)
He also claims her alleged substance abuse issues caused concern for executives on Idol, alleging: ‘ At her worst, Abdul was slurring her speech, unintelligible, drooling and passing out in audition rooms, having to be carried out on two separate occasions’ (pictured in 2005 with judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson)
The lawsuit claims that the DWTS guest judge ‘attempted to push’ Nigel away and that she hurried to her room once the elevator doors opened. She immediately reached out to her reps to inform them of the incident.
The second alleged occurrence took place during a dinner held at the former dancer-choreographer’s house, after Paula had signed a contract to appear as a judge on SYTYCD in 2015 – the same year he was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire).
Assuming the dinner was on a professional basis, Abdul attended the dinner.
However, the Muppets Mayhem guest star claimed that at one point, while they were both sitting on a couch, Nigel had tried force himself on top of her.
Paula also stated in the documents that Lythgoe had also ‘attempted to kiss’ her while telling her that they would make an ‘excellent power couple.’
The lawsuit claims that Abdul, ‘pushed him off, explaining she was not interested in his advances, and immediately left.’
However, due to fear of ‘possible implications to her career,’ the Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers star chose to stay quiet on the incident.
In the documents, Paula additionally claimed that she had witnessed Nigel sexual assault one of her assistants.
Paula made the decision to finally come forward with the lawsuit due to California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act (pictured December 6)
Abdul claimed that the first instance of sexual assault took place in an elevator during regional auditions in the early aughts when he ‘shoved her against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat’ (pictured in 2013)
The second alleged occurrence took place during a dinner held at Lythgoe’s house, after the two-time Emmy winner had signed a contract to appear as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance in 2015 when he ‘tried force himself on top of her’ (pictured in 2013)
The lawsuit claims that Paula ‘pushed him off, explaining she was not interested in his advances, and immediately left’ but chose to stay quiet on the incident for fear of ‘possible implications to her career’ (pictured in 2015)
According to TMZ, the singer also alleged that Lythgoe had called her at one point to say they should celebrate because it had been ‘7 years and the statute of limitations had run.’
The star is not only suing Nigel, but also 19 Entertainment and Fremantle Media North America.
Per The Blast, the lawsuit also states, ‘Throughout her tenure on American Idol, Abdul not only was discriminated against in terms of compensation and benefits as compared to one of the show’s male judges and host (making nearly pennies to the dollar of what one of her male counterparts were making)…’
‘But she was the target of constant taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment from Lythgoe and other executives, agents, employees, and/or representatives of the show’s producers, 19 Entertainment and Fremantle.’
Paula notably appeared as one of the original judges on American Idol from 2002 through 2009. Nigel had been one of the executive producers on the hit show.
She later became a judge on the American version of So You Think You Can Dance alongside Lythgoe during the show’s 12th season, but made her exit shortly before season 14 to focus on her tour.
According to TMZ, Paula has made the decision to finally come forward with the lawsuit due to California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act.
The law, which was officially passed earlier this year, offers a ‘three-year window for survivors of sexual assault to file a claim and recover damages as a result of crimes that occurred on or after January 1, 2009,’ per the California Public Agency of Labor & Employment.
The Straight Up hitmaker is next scheduled to serve opening act duties for the New Kids on the Block’s 40-date Magic Summer 2024 Tour, which kicks off June 14 at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH
‘From January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026, sexual assault and abuse claims, which would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations, will be revived and officially be eligible to be brought in civil court…’
The former LA Laker Girl’s successful career began as a choreographer when she was discovered by The Jacksons.
She later released her debut studio album, Forever Your Girl, in 1988 – which launched her success in the music industry.
Abdul was married to Emilio Estevez from 1992 until their divorce in 1994. She later tied the knot with Brad Beckerman in 1996 until the pair divorced in 1998.
Nigel has two sons – Simon, 48; and Kristopher, 44 – from his 33-year marriage to Bonnie Shawe, which ended in 2007.
The Straight Up hitmaker is next scheduled to serve opening act duties for the New Kids on the Block’s 40-date Magic Summer 2024 Tour, which kicks off June 14 at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
