Former 'SYTYCD' judge Nigel Lythgoe faces new lawsuit, shares private emails with Paula Abdul

Nigel Lythgoe has been hit with a new lawsuit, this time for an alleged sexual assault at his home in 2018.

The new lawsuit, filed by a Jane Doe in Los Angeles Superior Court Monday, is the fourth lawsuit filed against the former "So You Think You Can Dance" judge and "American Idol" producer in recent months, including a lawsuit filed by Paula Abdul.

USA TODAY has reached out to Lythgoe's reps for comment.

According to the lawsuit, which includes redacted information, Lythgoe, 74, forced the woman against an exterior wall by "shoving his knee between her legs" and proceeded to lick the woman's neck, touch her genitalia, grope her "all over" and try to kiss her.

The woman "tried to push Lythgoe away from her but he had her pinned against the wall," she claims. Once she broke away from him, she immediately left the home and drove away, the suit says.

She says she has "suffered severe emotional and psychological distress, guilt, humiliation, and embarrassment" in her personal and professional life as a result of the incident, including her marriage. The woman is seeking damages, according to the filing.

"Lythgoe’s sexual assault and battery were so traumatizing" that the woman "no longer feels like the confident, capable, and independent woman that she was before."

New Nigel Lythgoe lawsuit follows suits from Paula Abdul, other accusers

The suit was filed by the same lawyers as previous suits from Abdul and another unidentified woman who claimed the TV producer forcibly touched her in 2016.

On Dec. 29, Abdul filed a lawsuit against the former “American Idol” producer, alleging Lythgoe sexually assaulted her during one of the “initial seasons” of "Idol" — on which she served as a judge for eight seasons starting in 2002 — and again in 2014 when she was hosting “SYTYCD.”

Lythgoe quickly denied Abdul's allegations: "Not only are (the claims) false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for," he said. "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."

Nigel Lythgoe, former 'So You Think You Can Dance' judge, faces another sexual assault lawsuit

On Feb. 17, a Jane Doe filed a lawsuit alleging that in February 2016, she was out to dinner for her birthday in Beverly Hills when she took a photo with Lythgoe due to his role in competition television. Lythgoe allegedly invited her to hang out with him and his associates before offering her a ride home. After his alleged persistence, she accepted the ride.

The woman alleges the TV personality instructed his driver to continue past Jane Doe's home while he "forcibly kissed, groped, and digitally penetrated her."

A third lawsuit, filed by two contestants who appeared on the 2003 ABC talent competition show "All American Girl" accused Lythgoe of sexual assault, sexual harassment and negligence stemming from an alleged attack in May of that year. They filed anonymously, using the names Jane Doe K.G. and Jane Doe K.N.

Nigel Lythgoe responds to Paula Abdul allegations

In an answer to Abdul's complaint, filed Tuesday and obtained by USA TODAY, Lythgoe shared private emails and public statements he claims prove he did not sexually abuse Abdul, "made time and time again during and after the time she now alleges the abuse occurred, wherein Abdul expressed how she really felt about Lythgoe, her friend and colleague."

The document shares messages said to be sent by Abdul to Lythgoe, including one where she apologizes for not calling him back, says she was "forever grateful to have you in my life" and tells the professional dancer she loves him.

In another, Abdul thanks Lythgoe for sending her flowers on her birthday and attending her birthday party, writing: "I truly appreciate our friendship and am looking forward to launching our project," the suit says.

In a statement shared Wednesday with USA TODAY, a lawyer for Abdul said, "Mr. Lythgoe's answer to Ms. Abdul's complaint is classic victim shaming. Mr. Lythgoe fails to appreciate that he held a position of power over Ms. Abdul. He was a producer on 'American Idol' and 'SYTYCD' and she was the talent. He held the cards to her career in his hand and he knew it.

"It thus is no surprise that Ms. Abdul placated to his ego with positive messaging and seeming adoration. These are the defenses that many women like Ms. Abdul had to adopt to deal with men who abuse their power."

The statement continued, "While Mr. Lythgoe's answer cherry-picks from years of messages with Ms. Abdul to try to discredit her claims, what his selections fail to show are the numerous instances of overt sexual harassment he forced Ms. Abdul to tolerate. ... There are several instances of such verbal assaults against Ms. Abdul, which are evidence of the frequent abusive behavior that Ms. Abdul was subjected to during her time on 'American Idol' and 'SYTYCD.'"

The attorney also claimed Lythgoe sent inappropriate text messages to Abdul in 2014, including one in which he asked her to "please make love to me! Slowly and lovingly!"

In his response to Abdul's 2023 complaint, Lythgoe also claims he pushed for Abdul to be included in projects like "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance," despite the industry's reluctance to work with her, "in part due to the reputation she developed because of" what he calls "her drug-fueled erratic behavior."

Lythgoe claims Abdul's lawsuit is merely a "ploy for long-ago lost relevance and fame and/or for unjustified profit ahead of her announced Magic Summer 2024 tour."

The lawsuit also includes reported tweets by Abdul tagging Lythgoe, at the handle @dizzyfeet, the latest of which is from 2015: "@dizzyfeet I'm grateful that I met you, too, Nigel! Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! xoxoP"

The suit goes on to say Abdul's complaint "lacks credibility" and stretches "credulity."

"It is unthinkable that Abdul would even tolerate Lythgoe's physical proximity let alone send him adoring messages and sexually provocative jokes if her allegations were true - which, clearly, they are not," the filing reads.

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE & online.rainn.org)

Contributing: Naledi Ushe, Melissa Ruggieri and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'So You Think You Can Dance's Nigel Lythgoe hit with fourth lawsuit