I posted the pictures below on my twitter (X) feed a few weeks ago, but a paper – that I could never support or read – lifted my thread and published it. For a while, it was the number one story online and as predicted when it comes to readers of a rag like this one, some of the comments were vile, and many of them were directed to me personally.
What was the story? Well, it was a personal moment, which I had thought hard about sharing. In the end, I had decided I would share it for two reasons. One, it illustrates what a creep Al Fayed was, and two, a version of his unacceptable behaviour was captured in images. Perhaps it may appease the doubters.
Let’s be clear. I wasn’t abused by Fayed, this is not any sort of claim of that nature. However, his words, and his actions towards me one day in London, were of an abusive nature. He had power. And it is evidence of the way he yielded that power, supported by his enablers. A combination of both made it possible for him to exert so much violent control over women.
Anyway, I deleted the twitter post and I might delete this one too, but for the moment, to all his victims, I stand with you. Here’s my story, in pictures.
I was at Fulham Football Club, working as a TV presenter, rehearsing on the pitch ahead of the live match coverage. Fulham were playing Celtic in a friendly pre-season fixture.
Image One.
I was approached by security and told that Al Fayed would like to meet me. I’m in work mode, but see no reason not to be polite and say hello. This image shows our initial conversation at the side of the pitch.
Image Two.
I can’t remember what I am saying here, but I’m perhas telling him that Celtic will win convincingly. So far, all fine. Despite that creepy tongue in shot…
Image Three
This is where his behaviour changes. He pulled me towards him, pressing his hand on my arm. He invites me to come up to his penthouse ‘so I can show you my pyramid’. Honestly. Yes it’s shite patter, and yes it’s not abuse, but it’s indicative of what he thinks he can say and do, and what he knows he can get away with.
At the time, I thought he was creepy (and I told people over the years that he was really creepy when I met him) but since the news broke about his horrendous abuse of women, I feel that his behaviour was something much more sinister. Like I had a lucky escape. I feel ashamed for recounting my story about his ‘pyramid’ on many occasions, enjoying the shocked laughs the narrative would always draw . But it turns out it was far from funny, even though I certainly wasn’t laughing at the time.
Image Four
As you can see from this image, I told him where to go. My words would have been ‘polite’ but my demeanour says something else. I was annoyed. But I was absolutely fine. I was in a public place and he obviously wasn’t interested in me as he didn’t come back. The sidekicks didn’t return with another request. That was the end of it. But I know scores of women (and maybe many more) didn’t escape so easily.
I hope they find justice.
Please note, a work colleague took these pictures, they can’t be shared without our permission.
Margot McCuaig 