In a development that could become the next major story in the ongoing #MeToo saga, Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, an executive producer known for his work on “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

The lawsuit, which was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, alleges that Lythgoe sexually assaulted Abdul in the early 2000s and in 2015 when she was serving as a judge on both shows.

The Grammy-winning singer said one assault happened in the early 2000s and a second around 2015 while she was a judge on the television competition shows, according to a suit filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court under the Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which allows sexual assault suits to be made even if the statute of limitations has passed.

Abdul, 61, alleged that during one of the initial seasons of "American Idol," where she served as a judge from 2002 to 2009, Lythgoe "shoved" her against the wall of an elevator, "grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat."

Abdul tried to push him away and ran out of the elevator when the doors opened, it stated.

The lawsuit indicates that Abdul immediately shared the details of the incident with a representative but hesitated to pursue further action because she feared being fired from the show in retribution. The singer also claimed she was “discriminated against in terms of compensation and benefits compared to one of the show’s male judges and the host,” and that she experienced bullying and harassment while serving on the show.

Abdul claims the second incident occurred in 2015 after she had agreed to be a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe allegedly invited her to his home under the pretense of discussing business opportunities. After she arrived, Lythgoe made unwanted advances, attempting to kiss her and suggesting that they could be a “power couple.”

Abdul says she rejected Lythgoe’s advances and left the premises. The suit also claims Abdul witnessed another instance in which the producer allegedly sexually assaulted her assistant. She again remained silent due to fears of retaliation.

Abdul said she remained silent for years "due to fear of speaking out" against a powerful television producer "who could easily break her career as a television personality," the suit stated. She said she also feared being ostracized and blackballed.

Abdul’s lawsuit was filed using the provision of the Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, which was enacted in 2023. The legislation provides a three-year window from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2026, to file claims for incidents occurring on or after January 1, 2009. The act also includes a separate one-year window for claims involving cases that fall outside the statute of limitations. It is intended to ensure that survivors of sexual assault have an opportunity to seek justice against their abusers.

Abdul's claims, if proven, are just the latest in a series of developments that have been highlighted over the past decade and reveal rampant sexual abuse in the entertainment industry. They further illustrate the complex dynamics that often play out in these cases, in which powerful individuals use their positions to abuse others, who are often cowed into silence by fears of professional consequences.