Bianca Gascoigne accuses Al Fayed of sexual assault

Bianca Gascoigne recently spoke out about her traumatic experiences while working at Harrods as a teenager, alleging that she was groomed and sexually assaulted by the former chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed. In an interview with Sky News, the reality TV star and DJ, who is the adopted daughter of ex-England footballer Paul Gascoigne, described her age at the time as just 16 years old. Gascoigne claimed that Al Fayed frequently groped her and forced her to kiss him during their weekly meetings.

Reflecting on her decision to remain silent for so long, she expressed that she did not want to bring “embarrassment and shame” upon herself or her family. This revelation follows news from Harrods confirming that over 250 compensation claims have been initiated by women alleging historical sexual misconduct against Al Fayed.

Recalling her early visits to Harrods with her parents, Gascoigne described Al Fayed as “charming” and “personable,” noting that he would often bring the family gifts. She recounted how he criticized her father, suggesting he was a bad parent for coming into the store drunk, and offering himself as a father figure in her life. “I felt a false sense of security with him at first,” she remarked.

Gascoigne started her career at Harrods as a shop floor worker before achieving her “dream” position as a fashion buyer. However, she alleged that Al Fayed’s inappropriate behavior overshadowed her career advancement, claiming he would touch her inappropriately and force her to kiss him during their meetings.

One particular incident stands out in her memory when Gascoigne was invited to stay at a Harrods apartment before an early morning flight. The situation escalated dramatically when Al Fayed arrived. “I was gobsmacked, shell-shocked, and didn’t know what to do,” she stated. Al Fayed allegedly became aggressive, leading to a horrifying encounter where he forced her to engage in unwanted sexual acts. Gascoigne described managing to escape the situation and labeled the experience as “horrific.”

She spoke about the pressure of keeping the incident to herself, fearing the consequences that revealing the truth might bring—both to her family and her career. “I didn’t want to bring embarrassment and shame, even to my parents,” she said, emphasizing her fear of losing her job. Al Fayed had allegedly warned her that she would face repercussions for speaking out.

Recently, spurred by other survivors sharing their experiences, Gascoigne felt compelled to publicly discuss her own trauma. “I feel like I have to do this. I want to stand for the women and hopefully make a change so that my daughter won’t have to go through something like this,” she expressed passionately.

The Justice for Harrods Survivors group, which represents victims of Al Fayed, praised Gascoigne’s bravery in coming forward. They stated, “We are proud to represent her and other survivors as we move forward together in our quest for justice.”

Al Fayed, who passed away last year at the age of 94, has faced accusations of sexual misconduct from numerous former employees. Harrods’ current ownership expressed their horror at the allegations and apologized to the victims, acknowledging that they had been failed.

In light of this investigation, which has heard testimony from over 20 female ex-employees, it raises serious questions about the culture within Harrods during Al Fayed’s tenure and the protection he may have received as a billionaire businessman.