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So You Think You Can Dance, which is set to return to screens with season 18 in March 2024, is undergoing some changes in terms of the judges panel. Nigel Lythgoe, one of the creators of the show, recently issued a public statement in which he announced that he was stepping away from the show for the time being in order to clear his name.
Disclaimer: This article contains details about a s*xual assault. Readers' discretion is advised.
The executive producer of the dance show as well as American Idol stated:
"I have informed the producers of So You Think You Can Dance of my decision to step back from participating in this years' series. I did so with a heavy heart but entirely voluntarily because this great program has always been about dance and dangers, and that's where its focus needs to remain. In the meantime, I am dedicating myself to clearing my name and restoring my reputation."
The decision comes after Paula Abdul, who appeared on both American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance in the past, recently filed a lawsuit against the producer, accusing him of s*xual assault on more than one occasion.
Fox, 19 Entertainment, and Dick Clark Production issue statement about So You Think You Can Dance's upcoming season
In light of Nigel Lythgoe's departure from So You Think You Can Dance, the companies and network behind the dance talent show have issued a joint statement of their own.
They wrote that the show remains "committed to the contestants." However, they added that so far, a decision about Nigel's replacement as judge has not been made. The upcoming season is set to air on March 4, 2024, and will see Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy as judges.
Nigel's departure comes in light of Paula Abdul and two other women suing the executive producer of s*xual assault. Paula filed a lawsuit against the television personality last month, during which she alleged that he assaulted her during one of the initial seasons of American Idol.
In the lawsuit, Abdul claimed that the executive producer assaulted her while in an elevator as he "grabbed" parts of her body and started "shoving his tongue down her throat." She added that she tried to push him away and reportedly ran into her hotel room as soon as the doors opened.
The second instance that Abdul mentioned took place while she was filming for a season of SYTYCD. The lawsuit stated that Nigel invited Abdul for dinner and she accepted, thinking that it was a professional invitation. The producer then tried to supposedly force himself onto her while she was on the couch, noting that they would make an excellent "power couple."
In addition to Paula Abdul's lawsuit, Nigel Lythgoe was accused of s*xual assault by two other women. As per Los Angeles Times, two women, identified as "Jane Doe K.G and Jane Doe K.N." accused the producer of "making unwanted s*xual advances and forcibly kissing them" in his Los Angeles home in 2003.
So You Think You Can Dance season 18 is expected to premiere on March 4, 2024.
