News Summary

• The complaint claims the production companies “knew or should have known of Lythgoe’s sexual assaults and harassment of Abdul” and “did nothing to investigate, supervise, or monitor Lythgoe to ensure the safety of Abdul and others similarly situated.” THR has reached out to American Idol reps for comment..
• The suit doesn’t give a year the incident happened but claims it was during the show’s “initial seasons.” “Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts and began shoving his tongue down her throat,” the complaint states..
• The singer filed a lawsuit on Friday against Lythgoe and the show’s production companies, alleging that the producer sexually assaulted her during one of the early seasons of American Idol and years later when she was working as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance..
• Abdul was invited to Lythgoe’s home for dinner, the complaint states, “to discuss other opportunities for the two to work together.” Believing the dinner was a “professional invitation,” Abdul accepted the invite, according to the complaint..
• Elsewhere in the suit, Abdul said she also witnessed Lythgoe sexually assault one of her assistants at the time, identified as “April” in the complaint, while filming So You Think You Can Dance in 2015..
• “Toward the end of the evening, however, Lythgoe forced himself on top of Abdul while she was seated on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple,’” the complaint states..