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American Idol producer Ken Warwick backs up Lythgoe's remarks

By April MacIntyre Dec 15, 2008, 19:46 GMT

Trouble at AI productions this year... Paula Abdul - 18th Annual Kids\' Choice Awards - Arrivals - UCLA Pauley Pavilion - Westwood, CA, USA © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

American Idol executive producer Ken Warwick was on a conference call with Monsters and Critics and other online journalists and said he had "no idea whatsoever, mate" that the deceased fan Paula Goodspeed had been a stalker threat of Abdul's when she auditioned for the fifth season of the Fox show in 2005.

"She (Abdul) may have told a junior producer or a security person but I was in the room mate, swear to God I heard no such thing."

Goodspeed's body was discovered earlier this year in her car near Abdul's home.

On ABC's The View (video below) and Barbara Walters' Sirius radio show, Abdul was vitriolic in her accusations towards Idol producers and Simon Cowell for allowing Goodspeed to audition even after Abdul indormed  them the woman had an unhealthy history with her

"I said, 'This girl is a stalker of mine,'" Abdul told Walters on the radio. "'Please do not let her in.' Everyone knew. I was shaking."

Warwick kept denying any knowledge on producers' part.  "I had no idea, and I was in the room. Normally, she would have told the security there. They're the people who would handle it."

Warwick admitted he knew Goodspeed was "a fan" of Abdul's. "It was written on the notes." 
"If we think anybody is even appears to look dangerous or violent in any way, they don't even get into the room. I would never contaminate the credibility of the show by putting someone dangerous or someone who would hurt themselves in that room. I just wouldn't do it. It's not worth it."

Former "American Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe denies the singer's pleas were ignored in an effort to boost ratings

He tells Usmagazine.com, "I don't remember Paula Abdul ever saying, 'Don't bring this one or that one in.' But she says she did -- I believe her.

"My point is, this young woman went through the audition process. None of us believed she posed any danger to Paula. Believe me, if we had, she wouldn't have been in the room.

"We had someone who was a very huge fan of Paula's, and (who) we thought Simon (Cowell) would have great fun with. That's all.

"This horrible thing happened outside her home. It's like she's saying, 'Don't blame me. It's not my fault.' And she's right. It's not anybody's fault. It's certainly not 'American Idol''s fault.

"I don't know what goes through someone's head when they choose to commit suicide, but I believe this poor girl was going through a very sad period in her life. Now it should be left for the family to grieve."

Warwick is currently making the rounds speaking to press for the upcoming eighth season (premiering January 13). of American Idol.  More to come of the interview.