Damning photos and a signed statement: The latest twist in the Lizzo saga.

The woman at the heart of the world's body-positive campaign is facing accusations of weight shaming, among a host of allegations made in a lawsuit against her.

Lizzo – as well as her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc, and dance team captain Shirlene Quigley – is being sued by three of her former dancers for sexual and racial harassment, and creating a hostile work environment, as reported by PEOPLE. 

Following more of the singer's former colleagues speaking out about their own alleged negative experiences with the star, Lizzo's lawyer has confirmed she intends to take legal action against her accusers.

Here's every new development in the Lizzo controversy, including the details of Lizzo's plans to counter-sue. 

Watch: Lizzo talks about body positivity and negativity. 

What are the dancers alleging in their lawsuit against Lizzo?

It all began in early August, when a lawsuit was filed by former Lizzo dancers, Arianna Davis, Noelle Rodriguez and Crystal Williams.

A large part of their claims stems from a night out in Amsterdam when Lizzo allegedly pressured the dancers into touching nude performers, which is allowed at the club. 

Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez said: "Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas and eating bananas protruding from the performers' vaginas."

Williams claimed the singer then pressured her to touch one of the nude performers' breasts, despite "expressing her desire not to touch the performer".

On the same night, Lizzo also allegedly "badgered the security guard to get on the club's stage until he submitted to her demands" and then when he got on stage "his pants were pulled down, exposing his buttocks".

"Lizzo then began yelling, 'Take it off!' while a club performer hit the security guard with whips," the lawsuit read. 

The allegations of weight shaming, explained. 

Arianna Davis has also accused Lizzo - whose real name is Melissa Jefferson - of weight shaming. 

"Lizzo and Ms Scott [choreographer Tanisha] questioned whether Ms Davis was struggling with something as she seemed less committed to her role on the dance cast," the documents claimed.  

"In professional dance, a dancer's weight gain is often seen as that dancer getting lazy or worse off as a performer.

"Lizzo's and Ms Scott's questions about Ms Davis' commitment to the tour were thinly veiled concerns about Ms Davis' weight gain, which Lizzo had previously called attention to after noticing it at the South by Southwest music festival."

Fearing for her job, Davis said she felt pressured to explain her weight gain and disclose intimate personal details, related to an eating disorder. 

The allegations of racial harassment, explained.

The dancers also claim that Lizzo's production company "treated the Black members of the dance team differently than other members" and accused them of "being lazy, unprofessional and having bad attitudes". 

"Not only do these words ring familiar as tropes used to disparage and discourage Black women from advocating for themselves, but the same accusations were not levied against dancers who are not Black," the lawsuit read. 

In a statement, the plaintiffs' lawyer Ron Zambrano said: "The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralising."

According to the complaint, Davis was fired in May for recording a meeting where Lizzo gave out notes to dancers about their performances, while Williams said she was publicly fired due to budget cuts, despite no one else being let go. She added that it happened after she spoke up in a meeting in April during which Lizzo accused the dancers of drinking before performances. 

Rodriguez said she quit after feeling disrespected by the hostile environment at the same meeting, in which she said Lizzo threatened to sack dancers. 

Further dancers and ex-employees come forward.

Former dancer Courtney Hollinquest, shared an article about the lawsuit on her Instagram Stories, along with the caption: "For clarification, I'm not a part of the lawsuit - but this was very much my experience in my time there. Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light."

Image: Instagram/@cquestt.

Lizzo's former creative director, Quinn Wilson, reshared Courtney's Instagram Story, writing: "I haven't been a part of that world for around three years, for a reason. I very much applaud the dancers' courage to bring this to light.

"And I grieve parts of my own experience. I'd appreciate space to understand my feelings."

Image: Instagram/@quinnwilsonn.

Filmmaker Sophia Allison claims she was initially asked to direct a 2019 documentary about Lizzo, but alleges she left the job due to the singer's mistreatment.

She posted on Twitter: "In 2019, I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her."

Sharing this because validating other Black women's experiences is deeply important to me. pic.twitter.com/gd2xEK6szq

— Sophia Nahli Allison (@SophiaNAllison) August 1, 2023

The post continued: "I witnessed how arrogant, self-centred and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown in a sh***y situation with little support.

"Reading these reports made me realise how dangerous of a situation it was. This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers," Allison said.

An attorney for the three dancers from the lawsuit has said his firm is reviewing at least six additional complaints against the singer. 

The employment lawyer Ron Zambrano, said the people who have since come forward either toured with the singer or worked on her reality show, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

He told NBC News the new allegations were of a "sexually charged environment" and failure to pay employees.

Lizzo responds to the allegations.

On August 4, Lizzo finally broke her silence. She said the claims made by three of her former dancers were "too outrageous not be to addressed".

Via an Instagram post, she argued she is not the "villain".

"These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticised," the singer wrote.

"As an artist, I have always been very passionate about what I do. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it's never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren't valued as an important part of the team."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating)

Regarding the claims from the Amsterdam nightclub incident, Lizzo said: "I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not."

She also addressed the accusations of weight shaming, saying she knows how it feels to be body shamed, so she would "absolutely never" do the same to someone else. 

"I'm hurt but I will not let the good work I've done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time."

Contradicting photos emerge.

Lizzo's lawyer shared a series of photos to PEOPLE, which he alleges shows the plaintiffs "happily cavorting backstage" with performers from Crazy Horse's topless cabaret show on March 5, 2023 in Paris.

This comes after this trio of former dancers claimed Lizzo pressured them into attending the performance while on tour in the lawsuit.

"These images, showing the three plaintiffs gleefully reveling backstage after the topless show, were taken after their February 2023 visit to Bananenbar in Amsterdam that they complain about in their lawsuit," the lawyer suggested.

Lizzo plans to sue the backup dancers who are taking her to court, according to @TMZ.

Her attorney says the new surfaced photos show Lizzo's accusers returned to the topless cabaret a month later and took photos with the performers. pic.twitter.com/IgE2XQa9im

— Juice Pop (@TheJuicePop) August 23, 2023

The lawyer continued in his statement:

"These irrefutable photos and videos, along with additional substantial evidence, prove the glaring contradictions between what the plaintiffs claim in their bogus lawsuit and what is actually proven by the facts."

Lizzo plans to counter-sue.

Lizzo's legal team have revealed a plan to counter-sue the former dancers for malicious prosecution.

"The lawsuit is a sham. Lizzo intends to sue for malicious prosecution after she prevails and these specious claims are dismissed," her lawyer said to PEOPLE.

The three plaintiffs have since reacted to this legal threat. Their joint attorney said the former dancers "stand by every claim in the lawsuit and look forward to trial" despite the photos.

"Our clients aren't afraid of Singer [Lizzo's lawyer] or his empty threats or his victim shaming. We've addressed all these instances where the plaintiffs appear to be happy alongside Lizzo during their time working with her. Of course, they wanted to keep their jobs. They had bills to pay just like everyone else but they finally had enough."

Celebrities weigh in on the controversy.

Jameela Jamil has faced criticism for defending Lizzo.

Reacting to Lizzo's statement post, Jamil left a series of love hearts in the comments. Jamil then posted on her Instagram Stories asking people to stop "flooding" her DMs about Lizzo.

"Nobody knows what has actually happened," she said. 

"Due to the all too familiar pipeline of a woman, especially a Black woman, flying too high in the media, becoming more powerful than the media and being too comfortable in her own skin, then being DRAGGED down and punished over *claims* before they are proven to be true, I don't think it's wise to start jumping in with the speculation."

Image: Instagram.

This article was originally published on August 2, 2023, and has since been updated with new information.

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

Image: Getty.