BBC documentary alleges Mohamed Al Fayed sexually abused Harrods staff

On 20 September 2024, the BBC released a documentary and podcast series called "Predator at Harrods". It featured five women who said Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian-born businessman who owned the London department store Harrods, had raped or sexually assaulted them while they worked for him.

Al Fayed died in 2023, aged 94, and was never charged with a sexual offence during his lifetime. The programmes also drew on accounts from other former employees, and they raised questions about what Harrods staff and managers knew at the time and why complaints had not led to action.

The broadcast prompted many more women to come forward. Harrods, which Al Fayed sold in 2010, said it was appalled by the allegations, apologised to victims and set up a compensation scheme. London's Metropolitan Police began assessing the claims, and the case later drew in other authorities, including investigators in France, where Al Fayed also owned the Paris Ritz hotel.