Nigel Lythgoe Biography

Fast Facts

• Aspired to be a professional dancer since childhood, much to the chagrin of his dockworker father
• At 21, he served as a choreographer for and performed as a dancer with the BBC's Young Generation dance troupe
• Worked as a choreographer for numerous shows, including The Muppet Show
• Earned the nickname "Nasty Nigel" for being a tough audition judge on the Brit TV show Popstars
• Best known for his work as executive producer on a variety of talent-based reality shows, including American Idol (and its UK predecessor, Pop Idol) and So You Think You Can Dance (on which he also serves as judge)
• Co-founded the Dizzy Feet Foundation in 2009
• Founded Nigel Lythgoe Productions, a joint venture with 19 Entertainment, in September 2011
• Appointed an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II in her 2015 Birthday Honours