Nigel Lythgoe Hit With Second Sexual Assault Case in Less Than a Week
A pair of former contestants on the reality TV show “All American Girl” are suing the producer, Nigel Lythgoe, saying he sexually assaulted them back in 2003, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. The women said Lythgoe would repeatedly show up on set and grope them while they were in dance costumes and that he assaulted them after the series’ wrap party. Lythgoe allegedly insisted that one of the women ride home with him—and when another woman went with them to protect her fellow contestant, both women received aggressive sexual advances. The women, who filed anonymously, are suing Lythgoe and the production company for sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence. Lythgoe called the lawsuit “untrue” saying it was “deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for.” He was also hit with another lawsuit last week filed by the pop star Paula Abdul, who claimed that Lythgoe repeatedly sexually assaulted her while she was a judge on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance
