Bio
Nigel Lythgoe, currently the President of 19 Television, joined 19 as Chief Executive in 2001 from London Weekend Television (LWT), where he was controller of entertainment and comedy.
At LWT, Lythgoe attracted award-winning programming, including Ice Warriors,“Live By Request with Phil Collins,Michael Barrymore’s My Kind of Music,Don’t Try This At Home,Friday Night’s All Wright,TV Nightmares, Kids Say the Funniest Things, Animals Do the Funniest Things, Guinness World Records and Hidden Talents of the Rich and Famous.
Lythgoe began his career at the age of 10 as a dancer. Later, he switched to choreography for The Young Generation dance group and went on to choreograph over 500 television shows around the world, including shows for Engelbert Humperdinck, The Muppets and five Royal Variety Performances.
Lythgoe became a household name as a tough judge on the UK series Popstars, leading him to be dubbed Nasty Nigel by viewers. He's produced various shows, including Gladiator, Pop Idol and the British version of Survivor, which he also directed.
Lythgoe’s executive-producer credits include all four seasons of the American Idol, All American Girl and So You Think You Can Dance.