Bianca Gascoigne accuses Mohamed Al Fayed of grooming

Bianca Gascoigne Alleges Sexual Assault By Al Fayed

Bianca Gascoigne has claimed that she was manipulated and assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed, the former head of Harrods, during her teenage years while she was employed at the department store.

The television personality, daughter of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne, was just 16 years old back then. She recounted instances where Al Fayed would touch her inappropriately and compel her to kiss him.

She mentioned to Sky News that she held back from speaking out earlier because she didn't want to create any "embarrassment or shame."

Gascoigne's remarks follow Harrods' announcement to the BBC on Monday that over 250 individuals are currently engaged in settling compensation claims from women who have accused Al Fayed of past sexual misconduct.

Caution: This narrative includes elements that might be unsettling for some readers.

The 37-year-old reality television personality and DJ shared with the broadcaster that she would visit the upscale department store with her parents during her childhood. She recalled Fayed as being "charming" and "approachable," mentioning that he often brought gifts for the family.

She shared, "He often criticized my dad, claiming he was a terrible father because he'd come into the shop inebriated."

He often said that he felt ashamed of himself and suggested that I should see him as a paternal role model.

She mentioned that at the beginning, she experienced a misleading feeling of safety with him.

Gascoigne started her career at Harrods as a sales associate, but she eventually earned a promotion to her ideal position as a fashion buyer.

However, she claimed that Al Fayed would touch her inappropriately and compel her to kiss him during their regular meetings.

Mohamed Al Fayed passed away last year at the age of 94.

One time, Gascoigne was given the chance to spend the night in the Harrods Park Lane apartment before heading off on an early morning work trip.

When Al Fayed arrived at the apartment, she felt completely stunned and overwhelmed, unsure of how to react.

"He entered the room, sat me down on the couch, and was clearly quite aggressive with his hands and kisses," she recounted.

He exposed himself and took my hand, trying to guide it onto himself. When that didn’t happen, he attempted to push my head down onto his lap.

She mentioned that she was able to "squirm free" and described the experience as "terrifying."

She believes that Al Fayed's awareness of her parents' identities is what ultimately protected her at that time.

"He was treating me this way, and since I was around people he was connected to, I felt too ashamed to speak up to them. I didn't want to cause any embarrassment," she shared, mentioning that even her parents were unaware of the situation.

Gascoigne mentioned that she was afraid of being fired and that Al Fayed had cautioned her that speaking up could cost her the job.

Gascoigne, who welcomed a daughter last year, felt driven to share her own experience after numerous victims came forward with their accounts of abuse by Al Fayed.

"I believe it's important for me to take this action. I'm driven to do it because I want to support women and hopefully bring about some change, so that one day my daughter won't have to face similar challenges," she expressed.

Attorneys from the Justice for Harrods Survivors coalition, representing those who accused the former head of Harrods, have commended Gascoigne for her courage. They expressed their pride in standing alongside her and the other survivors as they continue their pursuit of justice together.

The BBC has reached out to Gascoigne for additional remarks.

Al Fayed, who passed away at the age of 94 last year, has been alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct by multiple female employees. Many of these women felt unable to come forward with their experiences until more recently.

At the time of several of the claimed incidents, the wealthy entrepreneur owned Harrods, the Ritz Paris hotel, and the football team Fulham FC.

During its inquiry for the documentary and podcast titled "Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods," the BBC collected accounts from over 20 former female staff members of Harrods.

The documentary that was released last month alleged that under Fayed's ownership, Harrods not only did nothing to address the allegations of abuse but actually played a role in concealing them.

In response to the inquiry, the current owners of Harrods expressed that they were "deeply shocked" by the accusations and acknowledged that the victims had been let down, for which the store offered a heartfelt apology.

If you have been impacted by sexual assault, you can reach out to the BBC Action Line for support by clicking here.