Paula Abdul Is 'Grateful' Her 'Long and Hard-Fought Personal Battle' With Nigel Lythgoe Is Over After Reaching Settlement in Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Paula Abdul and Nigel Lythgoe have officially reached a settlement nearly one year after the former American Idol judge accused the So You Think You Can Dance alum of sexual assault.

"I am grateful that this chapter has successfully come to a close and is now something I can now put behind me," Abdul said in a statement shared with a news outlet. "This has been a long and hard-fought personal battle."

"I hope my experience can serve to inspire other women, facing similar struggles, to overcome their own challenges with dignity and respect, so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives," she concluded.

As OK! previously reported, Abdul's original court filing claimed Lythgoe "shoved" her up against a wall in an elevator and "grabbed her genitals" as he forcibly kissed her.

"Abdul attempted to push Lythgoe away from her. When the doors to the elevator for her door opened, Abdul ran out of the elevator and to her hotel room," the legal documents alleged. "Abdul quickly called one of her representatives in tears to inform them of the assault."

Abdul accused Lythgoe of inappropriately touching her once again after he invited her to dinner at his home for what she thought was a professional event in 2014.

"Toward the end of the evening, Lythgoe forced himself on top of Abdul while she was seated on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple,’" the lawsuit said. "Abdul pushed Lythgoe off of her, explaining that she was not interested in his advances and immediately left."

Earlier this year, alleged sexually harassing emails from Lythgoe also came to light. In one of the 2014 messages, he reportedly wrote, "When you get back to LA, will you please make love to me! Slowly and lovingly!"

Abdul did not reply, prompting Lythgoe to respond, "I’ll take that as a YES then!'"

"For years, Abdul has remained silent about the sexual assaults and harassment she experienced on account of Lythgoe due to fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career as a television personality and of being ostracized and blackballed by an industry that had a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment," an excerpt of her lawsuit read.

An insider spilled Lythgoe was "no doubt was blindsided" by the lawsuit, but said Abdul was "not backing down" because she wanted "justice."

People reported Abdul's statement on the settlement.