Paula Abdul files lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe over alleged sexual assault

Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against former American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe (AP)

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.

The lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in Los Angeles, also accuses Mr Lythgoe of sexually assaulting the singer and dancer after she left the show and became a judge on his other competition show So You Think You Can Dance.