Nigel Lythgoe Steps Down From ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Amid Sex Abuse Lawsuits
variety.comGene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Nigel Lythgoe is stepping down as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance,” after two lawsuits accused him of sexual assault.
Lythgoe, an executive producer of the show, is accused of groping and forcibly kissing Paula Abdul in an elevator about 20 years ago.
In a second lawsuit, two contestants on “All American Girl” also accused him of forcibly trying to kiss them after a wrap party in 2003. “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 said in a statement to Variety. “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, 74, has been a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” since it began in 2005.
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