Nigel Lythgoe Biography
Nigel Lythgoe OBE is an English television and film director and producer, a judge on television dance competitions, and a former dancer in the Young Generation, as well as a choreographer. He is renowned for his role as the producer of television shows such as “Pop Idol” and “American Idol,” and he also created the 2009 competition “Superstars of Dance.”
Nigel Lythgoe Age
Lythgoe was born on 9 July 1949 in Wallasey, Cheshire, England. He celebrates his birthday on the 9th of July each year. Nigel is 75 years old as of 2024.
Nigel Lythgoe Height
Lythgoe stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 11 inches.
Nigel Lythgoe Family
Lythgoe was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, to George Percival Lythgoe, a dockworker, and Gertrude Emily Lythgoe. His interest in dance began at the age of ten.
Nigel Lythgoe Wife
Lythgoe married Bonita Shawe in 1974, whom he encountered while working as a choreographer for the BBC’s Young Generation dance troupe. Shawe also served as an audition judge on the season of So You Think You Can Dance and was a judge on the Australian version for the initial three seasons. Despite a prolonged separation, the couple divorced in 2010. They share two sons, Simon and Kristopher.
Lythgoe has been romantically involved with Priscilla Presley and Raquel Welch. Additionally, he is the owner of Villa San Juliette, a vineyard located in Paso Robles, California. Lythgoe faced health challenges, including a heart attack in January 2003 and nearly died from a burst appendix in October 2003.
Nigel Lythgoe Net Worth
Lythgoe has an estimated net worth of $150 Million which he has earned through his successful career as a television and film director and producer
Nigel Lythgoe Education
Lythgoe began his dance journey with tap dancing, later advancing his studies at the Hylton-Bromley School of Dance and Drama and the Perry Cowell School of Dance in Wallasey. His curriculum included classical ballet, modern jazz, ballroom, character, classical Greek, and national dances from various countries. Lythgoe’s initial professional engagement involved performing in the corps de ballet for the English National Ballet’s tour of The Merry Widow.
He received training in London under Joanne Steuer and Molly Molloy. In 1969, Lythgoe joined the BBC’s The Young Generation dance troupe and assumed the role of their choreographer in 1971. Over the years, he has choreographed more than 500 television shows.
Nigel Lythgoe Career
In the early stages of Lythgoe’s career, he acquired skills in filming choreography using techniques like multi-cameras, setting the stage for his television career. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Lythgoe not only performed with renowned dancers such as Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly but also choreographed for artists like Ben Vereen, Shirley Bassey, and even the Muppets. He claimed to be the sole individual to dance, choreograph, produce, and direct the Royal Variety Performance.
Transitioning into television, Lythgoe worked at TVS and, by 1995, held the position of Head of Entertainment and Comedy at London Weekend Television. In this role, he commissioned and produced popular shows like Gladiators and Blind Date. In 2000, he gained fame as the stern judge on Popstars, earning the moniker “Nasty Nigel.” He later moved to the United States in 2002 to produce American Idol, which became a global franchise. Additionally, he co-created and served as a producer/judge on So You Think You Can Dance.
Lythgoe, along with his production partner Ken Warwick, agreed to produce the 2007 Emmys but faced scheduling conflicts with So You Think You Can Dance. In 2007, he collaborated with other California-based Brits to establish BritWeek, an annual program celebrating UK-California ties. In 2008, Lythgoe confirmed his departure from American Idol to focus on So You Think You Can Dance. He later co-founded the company Big Red 2 Entertainment with Simon Fuller, producing shows like Superstars of Dance. In 2010, Lythgoe returned as an executive producer for American Idol.
Nigel Lythgoe’s Sexual assault allegations and departure from So You Think You Can Dance
On December 29, 2023, Paula Abdul filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe, accusing him of sexual assault during her time as a judge on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. Lythgoe denied the allegations, describing them as an “appalling smear.” He asserted that he and Abdul had been friends and colleagues for over two decades, expressing shock and sadness at the unexpected claims.
Later on January 2, 2024, two contestants from the show All American Girl, identified as Jane Does, filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe. The lawsuit alleged charges of sexual assault, sexual harassment, gender violence, emotional distress, and negligence. The contestants claimed that Lythgoe openly swatted and groped their buttocks while roaming around the show’s set, and they asserted that this behavior was openly accepted by the production company of the program.
Following these legal challenges, Lythgoe announced his departure from So You Think You Can Dance on January 5. In a statement to Variety, he explained that he had informed the show’s producers of his decision to step back from participating in the program.
Nigel Lythgoe Mourns the Death of Stephen ‘Twitch’ Boss: ‘
Lythgoe expressed deep sorrow and devastation upon learning about the death of Stephen “tWitch” Boss. The former judge of So You Think You Can Dance, Lythgoe, conveyed his heartbreak over the news. tWitch participated in the dance competition in 2008, finishing as a runner-up in season 4. He later returned to the show as an All-Star and served as a judge when the program resumed in 2022. On December 13, 2022, tWitch was discovered dead in Encino, California. The cause of death was determined to be suicide, resulting from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 40 years old.
Nigel Lythgoe’s American Idol
Television producer Nigel played a role in introducing the format to Britain after encountering a version in Australia. The British adaptation, named Pop Idol, premiered in 2001 with Lythgoe assuming the role of showrunner—a position encompassing executive producer and production leader. Simon Cowell served as one of the judges. Despite initially being offered the showrunner role, Cowell declined, leading Lythgoe to take on the position. The show achieved significant success with the viewing public.
Nigel Lythgoe Social Media Platforms
He is active on his social media accounts and often posts on his Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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