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Even ‘American Idol’s Nigel Lythgoe Gets Weary of Product Placement

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday April 29, 2013 @ 9:25pm PDTTags: American Idol, BAFTA, Digital Hollywood, Nigel Lythgoe

Nigel Lythgoe American IdolDavid Bloom is a contributor to Deadline.

American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said tonight he gets “sick to some degree of the (product) integration because (other) people have a different idea of what integration means. For me, it’s a smooth, organic process, whereas for other people, it’s, ‘Hi! This is a Coca-Cola!’ ” Speaking at a BAFTA-sponsored event at the Digital Hollywood conference, Lythgoe described a continual push and pull between show sponsors and producers that can be quite innovative but requires a lot of careful straddling of lines. “Everyone’s trying to use this as a platform,” he said. “They’re trying to stretch things all the time. I want to move those damned Coke cups. Especially when (rookie Idol judge) Nicki Minaj is sponsored by Pepsi. It gets on your nerves sometimes when it’s too obvious. You don’t want product forced on you. So we just have to be careful.” READ MORE »

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Fox’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Renewed For 10th Season

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday December 20, 2012 @ 10:02am PSTTags: Fox, Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance

Fox announced today that So You Think You Can Dance is coming back for a 10th season. “I couldn’t be more proud of the amazing work that Nigel and the entire So You Think You Can … Read More »

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‘American Idol’ Exec Producer Nigel Lythgoe Signs Production Deal With Shine America

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday December 6, 2012 @ 5:11pm PSTTags: Nigel Lythgoe
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Shine America has entered an exclusive, multi-year production partnership with Nigel Lythgoe Prods., the company of the executive producer of American Idol and exec producer/judge of So You Think You Can Dance. Under the pact, which starts January 1, Shine and Lythgoe will develop and produce new series for the global TV marketplace. “Nigel is clearly one of the world’s leading television producers, with an unmatched track record in TV programming both here in the U.S. and in the UK,” said incoming Shine America CEO Rich Ross. Added Elisabeth Murdoch, Chairman of Shine Group,  “I have known and admired Nigel for a long time. The creative potential of our partnership is truly staggering and I am more than delighted to be able to be working with him.”

For the past decade, British-born Lythgoe has been based at 19 Entertainment (now CORE Media Group), since the company’s founder/former owner, American Idol creator Simon Fuller, brought him in as TV president in 2001 to help develop the concept for Idol. Last year, Lythgoe launched Nigel Lythgoe Prods. as a joint venture with 19. That joint venture will keep control over the company’s existing series, Opening Act on E! and Chance To Dance on Ovation, as well as all current development, while all future projects will go through Shine. (Shine International will handle international distribution of those future projects). Lythgoe is not severing ties with 19 — he remains executive producer on both American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance for the foreseeable future. His hands-on involvement in the two series has been keeping him busy almost year-round, leaving little time for developing and producing new shows. Read More »

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MGM TV & Nigel Lythgoe To Reboot ‘Fame’ As New Scripted Series

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday August 28, 2012 @ 9:04am PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Nigel Lythgoe
Nellie Andreeva

MGM Television has teamed with American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance executive producer Nigel Lythgoe for Fame, a scripted series based on the 1980 MGM film and 1982 MGM TV series that chronicled the lives of talented … Read More »

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Nigel Lythgoe “Hoping” Jennifer Lopez Won’t Leave ‘American Idol’: TCA

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday July 23, 2012 @ 11:59am PDTTags: American Idol, Jennifer Lopez, Nigel Lythgoe, TCA

Diane Haithman is contributing to Deadline’s TCA coverage.

Television Critics AssociationFox’s first TCA panel Monday brought together representatives of So You Think You Can Dance, nominated last week for six Emmys, including Outstanding Reality Competition Program. But both during and after the session, judge Nigel Lythgoe was not surprisingly peppered with questions about his other day job: producing American Idol. Nigel Lythgoe American IdolLythgoe was asked to address the current musical chairs involving judges, including the recent departure of Steven Tyler and the probable (at least according to Lythgoe) departure of Jennifer Lopez. “I can’t make any comment about my negotiations”, he said. “What I said to Ryan [host Ryan Seacrest] is, I was really upset about the possibility of Jennifer leaving. She did say 99% percent [sure that she’s leaving], which is a strange thing to say. 99 percent — you’re either leaving or you’re not leaving. I’m hoping that 1% means she may not be leaving.”

Related: Mariah Carey Confirmed As New ‘American Idol’ Judge Read More »

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Mega-Producers’ Job – “Putting Out Fires”, Organization, Fear: Produced By Conference

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Saturday June 9, 2012 @ 4:13pm PDTTags: Bill Lawrence, Nigel Lythgoe, Produced By Conference, Shonda Rhimes

“We want the very good and the bad.” That’s what American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said this afternoon is the core of the competition show. “It’s the bland people in the middle we want to get rid … Read More »

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E! Picks Up Nigel Lythgoe & Kevin Jonas Reality Series, Whitney Cummings Talk Show, Unveils New Logo, Tagline & Branding

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday April 30, 2012 @ 5:00am PDTTags: E!, Mary J. Blige, Nigel Lythgoe, Whitney Cummings
Nellie Andreeva

UPDATED: E!, which is holding its upfront presentation today, has picked up Opening Act, a new talent competition headlined by American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, R&B singer Mary J. … Read More »

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‘American Idol’ Plans Dick Clark Tribute Tonight

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday April 19, 2012 @ 10:12am PDTTags: American Idol, Dick Clark, Nigel Lythgoe, Ryan Seacrest

Dick Clark American IdolRyan Seascrest took to Twitter today to announce that “we’re putting together a tribute for Dick Clark on @AmericanIdol tonight…just talked to @dizzyfeet”. The mentioned @dizzyfeet is the Twitter handle for Idol executive producer Nigel … Read More »

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Nigel And Simon Lythgoe’s ‘A Chance To Dance’ Lands At Ovation

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday March 13, 2012 @ 11:25am PDTTags: Nigel Lythgoe

The father-son team of Nigel and Simon Lythgoe – producers of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, respectively – have a new dance reality series ready to go. It debuts August 17. The arts programming-focused Ovation sees the show as a way to brand it as a home for original programming to go along with the performance programming that normally fills its lineup.

Shine International, the worldwide distribution arm of Shine Group, has international rights to A Chance To Dance and will be taking it to MIPTV April 1-4 in Cannes, where it hopes to secure international sales.

 

Santa Monica, CA — March 12, 2012 The announcement was made today that  Ovation, the only multi-platform network dedicated to art, artists and all forms of artistic storytelling, has green-lit a new dance competition series from executive producers Nigel and Simon Lythgoe. A co-production between their two respective companies, Nigel Lythgoe Productions (NLP) and Legacy Productions, A CHANCE TO DANCE follows Michael Nunn and William Trevitt — two former Royal Ballet dancers known as “The BalletBoyz,” as they audition, select and train a new American dance company.

Read More »

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‘American Idol’ EP Nigel Lythgoe Defends Slipping Ratings, Rules Out Changes, Takes Swipes At Rivals ‘The Voice’ & ‘X Factor’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday February 7, 2012 @ 12:54pm PSTTags: American Idol, Nigel Lythgoe, The Voice, The X Factor

Ray Richmond is contributing to Deadline’s TV coverage.

With American Idol’s ratings down well into double-digits year-to-year this season, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe claimed not to be surprised by the drop and even grew somewhat defensive with journalists during a conference call this morning. “You’re asking me how I feel about the 11th season ratings when I originally thought we’d be going off the air after three weeks (of season 1)?” he said. “Let’s be honest about this: We’re constantly compared against ourselves and our own ratings. Of course you’re going to see some sort of deterioration in the numbers.” Lythgoe sees the reason for the slippage as stemming from a combination of factors, chiefly the increased competition and resultant music reality series fatigue. “We’ve got The Voice and X Factor going now, and we’re all feeding from the same talent pool and of course the same ratings pool. …We’d always said we would never two Idols in a single year, and this is why. Now we have X Factor sitting there, and it feels just like Fox is doing two Idols a season. Add to that The Voice and of course there’s going to be viewer fatigue, as much you see when you have too many science fiction dramas or too many hospital dramas on television.” Lythgoe was quick to note that “we’ve still got the No. 1 show on TV in our 11th year. That’s pretty incredible. And after 11 years, I don’t think we should have to be defending ourselves. … Whatever bad press we’re getting about the ratings, I mean, my God the rest of the world would kill for these kinds of ratings.” Read More »

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Fox’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ To Drop Results Show

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Sunday January 1, 2012 @ 11:25pm PSTTags: Fox, Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance
Nellie Andreeva

Fox’s summer staple So You Think You Can Dance, which was renewed for a ninth season in October, will undergo a format change, scaling down from two shows a week to one. “Fox have canceled the results show so … Read More »

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Nigel Lythgoe: JLo Is Returning To ‘Idol’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday August 10, 2011 @ 11:49am PDTTags: American Idol, Jennifer Lopez, Nigel Lythgoe
Nellie Andreeva

Not than anyone has any doubts that Jennifer Lopez will return to Fox’s American Idol next season, but the show’s executive producer Nigel Lythgoe today became the first person associated with Idol to confirm her return on the record. “I … Read More »

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H’wood To Meet British Royals For Cheap

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Tuesday June 21, 2011 @ 4:11pm PDTTags: British Academy Of Film And Television Arts, Nigel Lythgoe, Prince William, Royal Hollywood Visit

There’s a lot of secrecy surrounding the event, so the British press thinks prices are sky high. But I’ve learned that Hollywood movie and TV companies are being asked to pay a very normal, even cheap, $25,000 a table for the inaugural … Read More »

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Winner Of Caption Contest: When Lady Gaga Grabbed Nigel Lythgoe

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 27, 2011 @ 2:01pm PDTTags: Lady Gaga, Nigel Lythgoe
Nellie Andreeva

UPDATE: And the winner is:
“Hey Nigel, let’s pull another culture-lifting show out of your ass.”


2nd Place: “It’s the Ford…American Idol…conga line.”
3rd Place: “Just another day on the set of So You Think You Can Pants.”

PREVIOUS: Here’s … Read More »

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CBS Orders Nigel Lythgoe-Produced Game Show Pilot

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday March 31, 2011 @ 6:55pm PDTTags: CBS, Nigel Lythgoe, Pilot
Nellie Andreeva

It’s like Deal or No Deal with envelopes instead of briefcases: CBS has ordered game show pilot Secret Fortune, which will be executive produced by American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance guru Nigel Lythgoe.

Based on … Read More »

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Simon Fuller On ‘American Idol’ Season 10 So Far: ‘We Wanted To Lose The Negativity’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday February 24, 2011 @ 1:58am PSTTags: American Idol, Fox, Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Iovine, Nigel Lythgoe, Simon Cowell, Simon Fuller, Steven Tyler
Nellie Andreeva

When a show heads into its 10th season, you brace for ratings declines. When it heads into its 10th season and loses its biggest star, you brace for the worst. Well, by that measure, Fox’s American Idol has done pretty … Read More »

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TCA: No Villain On ‘Idol’ This Season

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday January 11, 2011 @ 12:14pm PSTTags: American Idol, American Idol Season 10, Jennifer Lopez American idol, Nigel Lythgoe, Randy Jackson American Idol, Simon Cowell American Idol, Steven Tyler, Steven Tyler American Idol, TCA, Television Critics Association, TV

From Ray Richmond, who has been contributing to Deadline Hollywood’s TCA coverage:
The hot new (read: Simon Cowell-less) American Idol got rolled out by Fox on Tuesday morning at the TCA confab in Pasadena, with new judges J-Lo and Steven … Read More »

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‘Idol’ Still Trying To Get Elton John As Judge

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Saturday August 28, 2010 @ 7:26pm PDTTags: American Idol, American Idol Judges, Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, Elton John American Idol, Jennifer Lopez, Nigel Lythgoe, Simon Cowell, Simon Cowell Replacement, Steven Tyler

Ray Richmond is contributing to Deadline’s Emmy coverage.

EXCLUSIVE: Is American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe unhappy with who’s going to be the show’s next two judges? It sure sounds that way. I caught up with him at the 8th annual BAFTA/LA Tea Party in Century City today and asked him to confirm that Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez will replace Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres. “I must say, I really do love Elton John. He’s a huge favorite of mine,” Lythgoe replied to me. The producer added that Elton’s packed schedule is “always the problem”. Then Lythgoe revealed what strategy Idol is using on Elton to convince him to clear it and come on the show. “It depends on whether [he] wants to give back.” As Deadline Hollywood has been continually reporting, everybody connected to Idol has made no secret of the fact that Elton John has always been their first choice to replace Cowell. But no deal is in the offing not just because of the musician’s touring commitments but also because of his astronomical asking price. Which is why the musician’s UK publicist Gary Farrow told Deadline London Editor Tim Adler in late July that “There’s more chance of me fucking you than Elton being on U.S. Idol.” But it’s clear Lythgoe is still trying.

Lythgoe, who left Idol and then recently returned, also blamed Simon Cowell for Ellen DeGeneres not returning as an Idol judge next season. “I’m sorry she’s gone, to be honest with you,” he told me, “because I think there’s a place for Ellen DeGeneres on American Idol. And that is being the voice of the people. She wasn’t given a fair opportunity to serve that function. Read More »

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Ellen DeGeneres Reunites With Fox, ‘American Idol’ Producer For One Night

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday August 12, 2010 @ 11:25am PDTTags: Ellen DeGeneres, Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance, Unscripted TV
Nellie Andreeva

Demonstrating that there are no hard feelings, exiting American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres is returning to Fox for an appearance on tonight’s season finale of the network’s reality series So You Think You Can Dance, which hails from Idol creator/executive producer Simon Fuller, returning Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe as … Read More »

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