Paula Abdul has accused former 害羞草研究所淎merican Idol害羞草研究所� 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.

The lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles also accuses Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left 害羞草研究所淎merican Idol害羞草研究所� and became a judge on Lythgoe害羞草研究所檚 other competition show 害羞草研究所淪o You Think You Can Dance.害羞草研究所�

The Associated Press generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Abdul has done.

In a statement Saturday, Abdul害羞草研究所檚 lawyer Douglas Johnson applauded the singer and dancer for speaking out publicly.

害羞草研究所淚t was clearly a difficult decision to make, but Ms. Abdul knows that she stands both in the shoes and on the shoulders of many other similarly situated survivors, and she is determined to see that justice is done,害羞草研究所� Johnson said.

Lythgoe said in a statement that he was 害羞草研究所渟hocked and saddened害羞草研究所� to hear of the allegations made by Abdul, who he said he considered a 害羞草研究所渄ear害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渆ntirely platonic害羞草研究所� friend.

害羞草研究所淲hile Paula害羞草研究所檚 history of erratic behavior is well known, I can害羞草研究所檛 pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue,害羞草研究所� Lythgoe said in the statement. 害羞草研究所淏ut I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.害羞草研究所�

The lawsuit states Abdul remained silent for years about the alleged assaults out of fear of retaliation by 害羞草研究所渙ne of the most well-known producers of television competition shows.害羞草研究所�

Before 害羞草研究所淎merican Idol害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪o You Think You Can Dance,害羞草研究所� on which Lythgoe served as a judge for 16 seasons, he was a producer on the British show 害羞草研究所淧op Idol,害羞草研究所� which became a global franchise that includes the U.S. iteration starring Abdul.

According to the lawsuit, the first sexual assault occurred while Abdul and Lythgoe were on the road filming auditions for an earlier season of 害羞草研究所淎merican Idol,害羞草研究所� which premiered in 2002.

Abdul says Lythgoe groped her in the elevator of their hotel after a day of filming and 害羞草研究所渂egan shoving his tongue down her throat.害羞草研究所� Abdul pushed him away and ran to her hotel room when the elevator doors opened.

害羞草研究所淚n tears, Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to inform them of the assault,害羞草研究所� the lawsuit says, 害羞草研究所渂ut ultimately decided not to take action for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired from American Idol.害羞草研究所�

Abdul, a Grammy- and Emmy-winning artist, starred as a judge for the first eight seasons, leaving in 2009.

In 2015, Abdul became a judge on 害羞草研究所淪o You Think You Can Dance,害羞草研究所� appearing alongside Lythgoe.

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. Abdul said she again pushed Lythgoe away and immediately left.

Abdul left the reality show after two seasons. She has not worked with Lythgoe since.

The lawsuit also accuses Lythgoe of taunting Abdul about the alleged assaults, saying to her years later that 害羞草研究所渢hey should celebrate害羞草研究所� because 害羞草研究所渢he statute of limitations had run.害羞草研究所�

Abdul filed the suit days before the Dec. 31 deadline of a California law that opened a one-year window for victims to file lawsuits involving sexual abuse claims after the statute of limitations has run out.

More than 3,700 legal claims were filed under that expired last month.

The Associated Press