Brits shocked!

Gascoigne daughter sexually abused by Al-Fayed

Bianca Gascoigne danced on the Italian "Dancing Stars", "Ballando con le stelle", among others. In 2006, she won the British TV show "Love Island".(Bild: Maurizio D‘Avanzo / PA)

The British are shocked! In the context of the abuse allegations against the former owner of the London luxury department store Harrods, Mohamed Al-Fayed, more than 250 alleged victims have already come forward. Among them is the daughter of English soccer star Paul Gascoigne, Bianca Gascoigne. 

The former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant told Skynews that she was sexually abused by Al-Fayed when she worked at the posh department store as a teenager.

The 37-year-old explained that she had not yet spoken out due to "embarrassment and shame". She had visited the luxury department store in Knightsbridge with her parents as a child and Al-Fayed had always been "charming" and brought them presents. When she started working at Harrods at 16, she felt "safe" in his presence, as she said on "The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee". But that quickly changed. She was groped and sexually harassed by Al-Fayed. "He took out his private parts, took my hands and tried to maneuver them onto his parts," she said. She may have been saved by the fact that he knew her parents. 

"The predator at Harrods"
Harrods said on Tuesday that more than 250 people had approached the department store since last month in an attempt to reach an out-of-court settlement.

Numerous allegations of rape and other sexualized violence against Al-Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, have been making waves in the UK since September. The BBC had previously broadcast a documentary entitled "Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods" ("Al-Fayed: The Predator at Harrods"), after which more and more alleged victims came forward.

"Since 2023, Harrods has settled a number of claims with women accusing Al-Fayed of sexual misconduct in the past," the department store, which has new owners, said on Tuesday. "Since the documentary was broadcast, more than 250 people have so far contacted Harrods to settle their claims directly with the company."