Nigel Lythgoe steps down from So You Think You Can Dance amid Paula Abdul claims
Nigel Lythgoe has stepped down from hit US talent show So You Think You Can Dance after denying Paula Abdul's "shocking" sexual assault claims.
This comes after Paula, 61, claimed in court papers she was the victim of two assaults by the 74-year-old.
A lawsuit filed last month in California accused Lythgoe of "sexual assaults and harassment" while the pair worked on US reality shows American Idol and 'So You Think You Can Dance?'.
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Paula filed a lawsuit towards the end of December (FilmMagic)Lythgoe has said it is with a "heavy heart" that he has decided to step back from the upcoming series of So You Think You Can Dance amid the allegations of sexual assault.
"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 given to the PA news agency.
"I did so with a heavy heart but entirely voluntarily because this great programme 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."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the production companies and network of So You Think You Can Dance said: "19 Entertainment, Dick Clark Productions and Fox can confirm the upcoming season of So You Think You Can Dance will proceed, although without Nigel Lythgoe, to ensure the show remains committed to the contestants, who have worked incredibly hard for the opportunity to compete on our stage.
Nigel and Paula worked closely on various US television programmes (WireImage)"No decision has been made as to a replacement judge for this season, which will premiere on Fox on Monday March 4."
This comes after Lythgoe released a statement to US outlet TMZ last week, denying the claims that Abdul has made about him. Speaking to the site, he said: "To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement. For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear — and entirely platonic — friends and colleagues.
"Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for. 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."
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