Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lithgow have agreed to settle a lawsuit The lawsuit alleges he sexually assaulted her Her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show.
Abdul filed a notice of settlement of the case in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. It still has to be approved by a judge.
“I am grateful that this chapter has ended successfully and is now something I can put behind me,” Abdul said in a statement on Friday. “This has been a long and arduous personal battle. I hope that my experience serves as an inspiration to other women, facing similar struggles, to overcome their challenges with dignity and respect, so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives.”
The court filing said the settlement was unconditional, but it did not disclose the terms, and Abdul’s lawyer, Melissa Eubanks, said she could not comment on them.
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An email seeking comment from Lythgoe’s attorney was not immediately responded to.
The lawsuit, filed nearly a year ago, also accused Lithgow of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lithgow’s other competition show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”
Lythgoe said at the time that he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegations, which he described as “a horrific smear.”
After filing other lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct, Lithgow He stepped down in January As a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.”
The 75-year-old English-born producer has been a prominent television producer for decades in both the UK and the US, working on reality competition shows including American Idol.
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The Associated Press generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Abdul did.
Abdul, a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer and dancer, said in the suit that she remained silent for years about the alleged assaults out of fear of retaliation from “one of television’s most famous game show producers.”
She claimed the first sexual assault occurred while Abdul and Lithgow were on the road filming auditions for an early season of “American Idol,” which premiered in 2002.
Abdul says Lithgow groped her in the hotel elevator after a day of filming and “started shoving his tongue down her throat.” Abdul pushed him away and ran to her hotel room when the elevator doors opened.
“A tearful Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to report the assault, but ultimately decided not to take any action for fear that Lithgow would get her fired,” the lawsuit said.
Abdul played the judge for the first eight seasons, leaving in 2009.
In 2015, Abdul became a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance”, appearing alongside Lythgoe.
Around that time, Abdul alleged in the lawsuit, Lithgow forced himself on her while having dinner at his home and tried to kiss her. Abdul said she pushed Lithgow away again and immediately left.
Abdul left this reality show after two seasons. She has not worked with Lythgoe since.
In a statement at the time of filing the suit, Lithgow said: “Although Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I cannot pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue.”