Celeb SAS star Bianca Gascoigne has claimed she was groomed and sexually assaulted by Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed (Image: Sky)Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeBianca Gascoigne has claimed that she was groomed and sexually assaulted by Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed when she was just 16 years old. Speaking out for the first time, Bianca – who recently starred in Celeb SAS – recalled how she had visited the Knightsbridge department store with her parents, footballer Paul Gascoigne and his ex wife Sheryl, from a young age, with Mohamed often bringing them gifts and being ‘charming’. When she turned 16, she joined a team working at Harrods and felt ‘safe’ due to her family’s relationship with the businessman. However, once she was working for him, Mohamed would ‘grope’ Bianca and ‘force her to kiss him’ during their weekly meetings, she claimed in a new interview with Sky News. Speaking to host Sarah-Jane Mee, Bianca recalled feeling ‘trapped’ and ‘frightened’.
Bianca recalled feeling ‘trapped’ and ‘frightened’ as a teenager under Mohamed’s employment
(Image: Sky)
Recalling one particular incident where Mohamed had offered her to stay at Harrods Park Lane apartment before an early flight, Bianca said: “Al-Fayed turned up at the apartment to my shock, I was just gobsmacked, I was kind of very shell-shocked. I just didn’t really know what to do, he came in and then he sat me down on the sofa. He got his privates out and got my hands and was trying to manoeuvre them on his parts. “When that didn’t work he was trying to force my head on to his lap. And I don’t know how but I managed to wiggle away. And I think possibly you know, that him knowing my parents… I don’t know, that might have saved me at that moment. But it was horrific.”
She explained that her famous parents had a relationship with the businessman, meaning she had thought he was ‘safe’ to begin with
(Image: Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Bianca later got promoted from a sales worker to a fashion buyer at Harrods, admitting the fear of losing her dream job kept her silent. “Al-Fayed told me that if I would say anything that I would lose my job,” she said. “So I just got really scared, at 16 turning 17, you think you know what’s going on at the time but you really don’t. I look back now and just feel very sorry for my 16-year-old self and wish I could protect her.” Now, Bianca is speaking out as she wants to ‘stand for the women’ and protect the future for her own daughter. Mohamed died in 2023 at the age of 94, and since then, a number of women have spoken out claiming they were sexually assaulted by him.
Bianca is speaking out now to protect the future for her daughter
(Image: Instagram/Bianca Gascoigne)
The BBC have also released an investigative documentary titled Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, with 13 women featured in the film talking of their experience. In a statement after the documentary release, Harrods said: “Since 2023, Harrods settled a number of claims with women who alleged historic sexual misconduct by Fayed. “Since the airing of the documentary, so far there are over 250 individuals who are now in Harrods’ process to settle claims directly with the business.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnBianca Gascoigne
