For three consecutive years, Simon performed and was the Assistant Stage Manager in "Jack & The Beanstalk", "Aladdin" and "Robin Hood" while simultaneously moving from theatre into television.
In 1993, Lythgoe traveled to Australia to work on the country’s longest running soap opera, Home & Away, and the Aussie version of Gladiators for Kevin Jacobson Productions.
Returning to England, Lythgoe stayed in scripted drama working as a 1st Assistant Director for the Sky series Dream Team, produced by Hewland International.
's Money, The Monday Dump, Saturday Disney, House of Hits, The Morning Shift, Big Arvo, and the People's Choice Awards, along with numerous sports events, including the Bledisloe Cup, AFL, Super 12 Rugby, and the Lions Tour.
With the overwhelming success of Popstars in the UK, Nigel formed 19 Television with Simon Fuller, and the format evolved into Pop Idol.
Lythgoe produced some of Idol's biggest success stories, including Carrie Underwood, Fantasia Barrino and Ruben Studdard.
After six seasons of Idol and three of SYTYCD, Lythgoe was poached by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett as a producer for the Fox Network's On the Lot.
During his contract, Lythgoe produced CMT's Can You Duet, NBC's Celebrity Family Feud, Fox's Osbourne Reloaded and advised on America's Got Talent, I've Got Your Number and Let's Make A Deal.
At the turn of 2020, Legacy Productions, along with Simon Lythgoe, announced their partnership with music icon John Legend to produce a new hybrid dating singing competition taken from a Korean format, Love At First Song.
In 2023, Variety magazine announced Lythgoe was executive producing a Netflix feature film, Meet Me Next Christmas, starring Christina Milian.