Simon Lythgoe, Showrunner-Executive Producer and President of Legacy Productions, has received three Emmy nominations, one Producers Guild of America nomination, and in 2006 received a People's Choice Award for his work on American Idol. In addition, Simon recently received two Telly Awards for Showrunning Decorating Disney: Halloween Magic and Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings: Holiday Magic.
Simon's career began as a stagehand in British theatre, on numerous stage productions in London, England, and later, Sydney, Australia. Then, working his way up the ranks, Lythgoe transitioned into television. Focusing on entertainment, Simon was employed in various capacities, including casting, researching, to studio floor management on some of the U.K.'s most successful series, including The Late Show with David Letterman, The Royal Variety Show, Blind Date, Play Your Card Right, Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, to name a few.
The success of the British Gladiators series led Simon to work on the equivalent for the Seven Network in Sydney, Australia. Once there, Simon diversified his experience, working in various genres, such as the 2000 Olympics, and scripted drama, such as Home & Away. This was in conjunction with working on Australia's biggest entertainment shows, including Wheel of Fortune, Million Dollar Chance of Lifetime, Oblivious, and World's Funniest. Gaining valuable experience in game shows, physical, clip, and hidden-camera series, Lythgoe turned his attention to format development. Headhunted by the production company Screentime Access, Simon developed, produced, and oversaw the distribution of multiple successful international formats.
Lythgoe came to the United States from Australia in 2002 to produce American Idol after completing work on Popstars, an Australian talent competition produced in fifty-four countries worldwide.
During the first six seasons of producing the global phenomenon American Idol, Lythgoe worked with music recording icons like Prince, Stevie Wonder, The Bee Gees, Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj, Lionel Ritchie, and, of course, Simon Cowell. Simultaneously, Lythgoe produced the first
three seasons of So You Think You Can Dance and consulted on America's Got Talent. After a short stint at Mark Burnett Productions working on Steven Speilberg's On The Lot for FOX, Lythgoe signed an exclusive overall deal with Fremantle Media N.A. Inc.
While there, Simon developed and produced several pilots, game shows, dating series, and reality competitions, including Let's Make a Deal, NBC's Celebrity Family Feud, and two CMT Viacom's Can You Duet seasons.
In 2010, Lythgoe launched his own company based in California, Legacy Productions, specializing in developing and producing non-scripted programming. As the company President, Lythgoe optioned international formats, adapted them for the American market, and then successfully pitched and produced the shows. Through Legacy Productions, Simon was the showrunner and director of the reality competitions CMT's Next Superstar, A Chance to Dance, and Opening Act.
Later, the company signed a co-production development deal with Critical Content, where Lythgoe optioned and developed with CJ ENM's Korean format, Love At First Song, with music icon John Legend.
In conjunction with Roberts Media, Critical Content, and Legacy Productions, Simon was the Showrunner and Co-Director of two series and three specials of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings on Disney+. It featured many artists, including Jason Derulo, Oliva Newton-John, Hunter Hayes, Colbie Callait, and Pentatonix. In addition, Simon produced two specials of Decorating Disney with Whoopi Goldberg: Sofia Carson, Jordan Fisher, and Cierra Ramirez.
Given all of Simon's vast experience and knowledge, he has been a Keynote speaker at multiple universities around the world, industry events, and seminars.
Currently, Lythgoe is in post-production for a Netflix feature film, Meet Me Next Christmas.