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World Of Secrets

Al Fayed, Predator at Harrods: 4. Surveillance state

World Of Secrets

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary

4.7765 Ratings

🗓️ 19 September 2024

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Security cameras were everywhere - in Harrods and in a luxury apartment used by staff. There’s an atmosphere of paranoia. Vanity Fair magazine was investigating the rumours swirling around Mohamed Al Fayed. Would the truth about him be exposed, even as potential witnesses say they were intimidated?

This season of World of Secrets is about sexual abuse, and includes descriptions which some listeners might find distressing.

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this series, please contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support for survivors of sexual abuse, go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Before this BBC podcast kicks off, I'd like to tell you about some others you might enjoy.

0:05.0

My name's Will Wilkin and I Commission Music Podcast for the BBC.

0:08.0

It's a really cool job, but every day we get to tell the incredible stories behind songs, moments and movements,

0:14.7

stories of struggle and success, rises and falls, the funny, the ridiculous.

0:19.1

And the BBC's position at the heart of British music means we can tell those stories like no one else.

0:24.6

We were, are and always will be right there at the center of the narrative.

0:28.6

So whether you want an insightful take on music right now or a nostalgic deep dive into some of the most famous

0:34.3

and infamous moments in music check out the music podcasts on BBC Sounds.

0:38.6

A warning before we get started. This series is about sexual abuse and includes descriptions which some

0:44.4

listeners might find distressing.

0:47.8

I was laid with my back on the bed but my legs up on the wall.

0:55.0

This is a woman we're calling Alice.

0:58.0

Her words are spoken by an actor.

1:00.0

It's the late 1980s and she's stretching out her back after a warm bath.

1:05.0

It's been a long day. She's 17 and has an office job,

1:09.0

working as a personal assistant to Muhammad al-Faid.

1:12.0

Alice has worked late so rather than travel

1:15.6

all the way home she's staying in the flat on London's exclusive park lane

1:19.5

that al-Faiad has provided for her.

1:27.0

She's just starting to relax when the phone next to her bed rings. It can only be one person.

1:30.0

My heart sank because I thought I was being summoned and so I picked it up and he came onto the phone and he just went, yeah, why are you lying like that?

1:40.0

And I was naked at the time, I just got out of the bath. I was naked, I was just lying there, and my whole body turned cold.

...

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