Bianca Gascoigne says Mohamed Al Fayed sexually assaulted her

Bianca Gascoigne has recounted her experience of an alleged “horrific” sexual assault by Mohamed Al Fayed, which took place when she began her job at Harrods at the age of 16.

The 37-year-old daughter of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne admitted she hadn’t shared her story earlier due to feelings of "embarrassment and shame."

Since the airing of a BBC documentary about Fayed last month, over 200 women have approached lawyers with claims against the businessman.

The Met police reported that 21 women reached out to them prior to the release of the BBC film, and an additional 60 women have since come forward.

Harrods, the upscale shop located in Knightsbridge that Fayed owned until 2010, states that over 250 individuals are involved in handling compensation claims.

Gascoigne, now a model and reality TV personality, shared that she met Fayed thanks to her parents, Paul and Sheryl.

She mentioned, "He often pointed out how terrible my father was as a dad, especially since he would come into the shop intoxicated."

He often mentioned that he felt embarrassed by himself and suggested that I think of him as a father figure.

“At first, I felt a misleading sense of comfort around him. When I was young, I would often visit the store with my parents, and he would approach us with charisma, offering gifts and being friendly. Because of that, I genuinely felt secure when he was around at the beginning.”

Gascoigne began her job at Harrods when she was just 16. She mentioned that one night Fayed invited her to spend the night at Harrods' apartment in Park Lane before her work-related flight.

During her first public discussion about the incident on Sky’s The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee, she expressed her disbelief, saying, “He showed up at the apartment, and I was completely taken aback. I was just in shock, overwhelmed to the point that I didn’t know how to react.”

He entered the room, then guided me to the sofa where he was quite aggressive with his touch and kisses.

He revealed himself and took my hand, attempting to guide it to his body. When that didn’t succeed, he started to push my head down onto his lap.

"I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I was able to slip away. Maybe the fact that he knew my parents played a role in that; I can't say for certain. Regardless, it was a terrifying experience."

"Clearly, I was passionate about my work since it aligned perfectly with my aspirations – it was truly my dream."

When asked why she hadn't come forward sooner about Fayed, who passed away last year at 93, Gascoigne explained, “I was really focused on managing my own situation, as everything was just so terrible. The last thing I wanted was to jeopardize my job during that time.”

He warned me that speaking out would cost me my job. This frightened me a lot. Looking back now, I feel a deep sense of compassion for my 16-year-old self and wish I could have shielded her from that fear.

"I truly believe it's important for me to take this step. It’s a personal choice driven by my desire to support women and help bring about change. My hope is that one day, my daughter won't have to experience these issues. I want to raise awareness so that these kinds of predators can no longer act without consequences."

A representative from Harrods mentioned earlier this month: "We are ready to help with any new or ongoing questions that the Metropolitan Police may have about allegations concerning Fayed. Harrods is in close contact with the Metropolitan Police to make sure we can support them with any inquiries they find relevant."