British model Bianca Gascoigne has spoken publicly for the first time about being groomed and sexually assaulted by the late Egyptian businessman Mohamed al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager. Gascoigne, now 37, revealed that Al Fayed’s actions left her feeling trapped and frightened during her time at the luxury department store.
Gascoigne, daughter of England football legend Paul Gascoigne, had visited Harrods frequently as a child with her family, where they were treated warmly by Al Fayed. Speaking on The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee, she shared that Al Fayed’s charm and generosity had led her to feel safe around him when she joined Harrods at age 16. However, what followed were years of harassment that she has now described as “horrific.”
Gascoigne claims that Al Fayed would grope her and force her to kiss him during their weekly meetings. One night, he offered her the use of the Harrods Park Lane apartment before a flight, and it was there that a terrifying encounter took place. She recalled the moment when Al Fayed unexpectedly showed up at the apartment, shocking her. “I was gobsmacked, shell-shocked… I didn’t know what to do,” she said. Al Fayed allegedly attempted to force her into inappropriate actions, but she managed to escape.
Gascoigne emotionally recounted the harrowing experience: “He sat me down on the sofa, got his privates out, and tried to force my hands onto him. When that didn’t work, he tried to push my head onto his lap.” She expressed her belief that the connection between Al Fayed and her parents may have prevented the situation from escalating further.
Al Fayed, who passed away in 2023 at age 94, has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, with the BBC recently uncovering a series of complaints. The Metropolitan Police have recorded 60 allegations of rape and sexual assault against Al Fayed since the BBC documentary, in addition to 21 women who came forward between 2005 and 2023 with similar accusations.
Gascoigne, who was promoted to her “dream” job as a fashion buyer at Harrods, admitted that she kept the abuse secret for years due to fear and shame. She said she didn’t even tell her parents because she feared it would cause embarrassment and possibly cost her the job she loved. “I was scared,” Gascoigne said, adding that Al Fayed had warned her she would lose her job if she spoke out. She also expressed sorrow for her younger self, saying, “I look back now and wish I could protect her.”
In addition to the sexual assaults, Gascoigne revealed that Al Fayed would criticize her father, calling him an embarrassment due to his well-known struggles with mental health and addiction. Al Fayed, she claims, positioned himself as a “father figure” and manipulated her by exploiting her vulnerability.
Gascoigne’s decision to come forward was partly influenced by becoming a mother. After seeing other women share their stories, she felt compelled to speak out. “I want to stand for the women, to make any kind of change so that in the future my daughter won’t have to go through something like this,” she said.
Harrods has since expressed its shock over the allegations and emphasized that it is now a “very different organization” compared to the one run by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010. The store has also announced that over 250 people are currently part of its process to settle compensation claims related to Al Fayed’s alleged misconduct.