Nigel Lythgoe is formally exiting his position as a pass judgement on on So You Suppose You Can Dance within the wake of his more than one sexual attack complaints.
“I have informed the producers of So You Think You Can Dance of my decision to step back from participating in this year’s series,” Lythgoe, 74, introduced in a remark to Selection on Friday, January 5. “I did so with a heavy heart but entirely voluntarily because this great program has always been about dance and dancers, and that’s where its focus needs to remain. In the meantime, I am dedicating myself to clearing my name and restoring my reputation.”
Lythgoe’s announcement comes two months prior to the season 18 premiere of SYTYCD, which can characteristic Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy as judges. Fox and Sony Footage Tv’s 19 Leisure showed in a separate remark to Selection that “No decision has been made as to the replacement judge for this season.”
Us Weekly showed past due closing month that Lythgoe, who served as a pass judgement on on SYTYCD since its premiere in 2005, was once accused of sexual attack in a lawsuit filed through Paula Abdul. In court docket paperwork acquired through Rolling Stone, Abdul, 61, claimed that Lythgoe assaulted her more than one instances over time whilst running in combination on American Idol and SYTYCD.
Amongst her many accusations, Abdul alleged that Lythgoe “verbally insulted and belittled” her previous to taking her American Idol gig and that he persevered to bully her all the way through her time at the making a song pageant collection. She additionally claimed Lythgoe sexually assaulted her in a lodge elevator whilst touring for American Idol auditions, although she didn't specify when the alleged incident happened.
“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,” the pop famous person’s court docket paperwork state. “Abdul quickly called one of her representatives in tears to inform them of the assault.”
Lythgoe, for his section, denied Abdul’s accusations. “To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement,” he mentioned in a Saturday, December 30, 2023, remark to Us. “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.”
He persevered, “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. But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.” (He didn't elaborate on what he intended through “erratic behavior” on the time.)
Lythgoe was once hit with every other sexual attack lawsuit previous this week. In line with more than one retailers, two former contestants of the 2003 pageant display All American Woman claimed that Lythgoe drove them to a Los Angeles space, reasonably than to a studio to catch up with others who labored at the collection, after the display had wrapped. It was once there one of the crucial constants claimed Lythgoe forcefully attempted to kiss her and positioned his tongue on her face. The lawsuit reportedly claims the England local groped and smacked the rear ends of more than one All American Woman contestants whilst filming.