Al Fayed, Predator at Harrods: 4. Surveillance state
World of Secrets
BBC
4.7 • 765 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. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support for survivors of sexual abuse, go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Season 4 of World of Secrets, Al Fayed, Predator at Harrods, is a Long Form Audio production for the BBC World Service.
Presenters: Shaimaa Khalil and Cassie Cornish-Trestrail Producer: Sally Abrahams Senior Producer: Neal Razzell Series Editor: Matt Willis Sound design: Neil Churchill and Nigel Appleton Special thanks to Series Consultant Keaton Stone, Director Erica Gornall, and Executive Producer Mike Radford Commissioning Senior Producer: Anne Dixey Commissioning Editor: Jon Manel
Transcript
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| 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. |
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| 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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