Bianca Gascoigne reveals her mother Sheryl grew suspicious of Mohammed Al Fayed and confronted him after he offered to buy her daughter a flat aged 16: ‘The red flags were starting to show’
As a survivor of sexual abuse myself, I deeply empathize with Bianca and all the women who have come forward with their stories. It takes immense courage to speak out about such traumatic experiences, especially when it involves powerful figures like Mohamed Al Fayed.
Bianca Gascoigne disclosed that her mom, Sheryl, grew wary of Mohammed Al Fayed following his proposal to purchase a flat for Bianca, who was just 16 years old at the time.
Last month, the model, 38, bravely recounted the horror of being sexually assaulted by the former Harrods boss.
Over 250 women have reached out to Harrods, claiming they were victims of sexual assault or rape by the late Mohamed, a matter that was reported in the past.
In a recent conversation with TopMob, Bianca discussed the warning signs that caused her parents to become suspicious of Mohamed. Specifically, Sheryl, who is now 61 years old, went so far as to arrange a meeting because something felt off.
At sixteen, Bianca commenced employment with Harrods, working on the sales floor. Following her graduation from school, she found herself drawn to the atmosphere of Al Fayed’s organization, a sense of security stemming from their prior acquaintance.
The famous SAS participant stated that Mohamed invited her to use his Harrods apartment as a convenient place to stay before catching a flight to Milan, thereby saving time on travel.
She remembered unexpectedly encountering the businessman, a situation she hadn’t anticipated at all. In a surprising turn of events, he grabbed her hand and attempted to expose himself, trying to guide her head towards his private area. However, she was able to wriggle free from the situation.
Bianca mentioned that she somehow slipped free from the situation. She’s not sure how it happened, but she was incredibly fortunate at that time.
‘My mum knew something had happened because over the years I’d probably given her an indication.
When Al Fayed proposed an apartment to me, she unexpectedly chose to meet with him, which escalated the mistreatment to another level.
He proposed purchasing a condo for me, but my mom sensed something amiss – warning signs were becoming apparent. So, she took the initiative to discuss this with him, and unfortunately, at that time, I hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to her about it either.
Later on, Bianca shared with her mom the truth about the recent events, preferring not to disturb the peace within the family.
Some people have asked, “What made you visit his apartment?” However, it was actually a company-owned apartment where he was staying temporarily, not his personal residence.
At just 16 years old, some individuals were suggesting that I deserved whatever had happened. I was employed by a large company, preparing to start work at Harrods the very next day, and he suggested I stay at his apartment since I had an early morning flight. In no way did I anticipate him showing up there.
The TV celebrity expressed her belief that being the child of football legend Paul Gascoigne may have been crucial for her survival at that particular time, and additionally, she had plans to work alongside Mohamed’s Harrods associates the very next day.
Last year, Bianca, mother of Blake Sunshine who was born with her former fiancé, Arron Wright, felt inspired to share her thoughts. Witnessing the courage of other women revealing their stories, she discovered her own voice and drew strength from her role as a mom.
She mentioned that the incident occurred some time ago, which she had pushed to the back of her thoughts and kept in a metaphorical box. Yet, as a parent now, she often finds herself thinking, “This should not occur,” because it seems to happen frequently.
‘I feel like it has made a difference because I’ve had thousands of women message me, but whatever I can do to bring awareness and help other women speak out for this not to happen as often in the future, and for my daughter’s generation.’
She stated: For me, it’s not about finding an ending, but rather striving to alter the future for my child. In my life, what truly matters is my daughter.
Bianca has recently stepped up as a new accuser, following news that Harrods is working on resolving some of the 250 allegations leveled against Mohamed Al Fayed.
After the broadcast of a BBC documentary last month that exposed decades-long accusations of sexual misconduct against the previous proprietor of Harrods, the upscale department store reported an increase in women stepping forward with their claims.
Over the past few years, the Metropolitan Police has reported an increase of 60 new accusations, along with 21 women who previously came forward between 2005 and this year. These accusations encompass offenses such as rape and sexual assault.
Besides filing compensation claims, various legal firms are additionally pursuing a lawsuit against Harrods for numerous affected individuals.
147 women who are part of the Justice for Harrods Survivors group, comprising claimants, revealed that their legal representatives are currently collaborating with them.
After the BBC documentary was initially broadcast, the company expressed profound shock and dismay at the accusations of mistreatment leveled against Mohamed Al Fayed.
‘These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms. We also acknowledge that during this time his victims were failed and for this we sincerely apologise.
Today’s Harrods operates quite differently compared to when it was under Al Fayed’s ownership from 1985 to 2010. Now, our primary focus is on prioritizing the well-being of our staff members above all else in our decisions and operations.
To swiftly resolve matters following the emergence of fresh evidence concerning historical accusations of sexual misconduct against Al Fayed in 2023, we have made it our top priority to expedite claim settlements, thereby sparing the women involved from prolonged court battles.
As a lifestyle connoisseur, I’m excited to share that an ongoing opportunity is accessible for both present and past Harrods staff members. For more comprehensive details, kindly navigate to
Although we can’t go back and change the past, our commitment as an organization has always been to act ethically, guided by our current values. We strive to prevent any similar occurrences in the future.
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2024-11-14 18:19