Paula Abdul has accused former American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the reality competition show, according to a new lawsuit. Abdul is seen with fellow American Idol judge Randy Jackson at a news conference during taping auditions of the show in San Francisco in September 2005. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)According to the lawsuit, the first sexual assault occurred while Abdul and Lythgoe were on the road filming auditions for an earlier season of American Idol, which premiered in 2002. From left: Jackson, Lythgoe, Abdul and American Idol judge Simon Cowell are seen at an event in Hollywood in May 2005. Around that time, Abdul alleged in the lawsuit, Lythgoe forced himself on top of her during a dinner at his home and tried to kiss her.
