Michael Ward, 63, was filmed pretending to struggle for breath and coughing

Clip was posted to TikTok by his daughter Frankie amid the coronavirus crisis

Harrods staff expressed their disgust at video as Britain's death toll reached 144

Mr Ward has since issued an apology for the 'misguided attempt at social media'

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The boss of Harrods has sparked outrage after he appeared to mock victims of the deadly coronavirus in a shocking video.

Michael Ward, 63, was filmed pretending to struggle for breath and coughing – the two main symptoms of the killer virus – as he says 'I'm gonna die' in a clip posted to social media.

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Clutching an empty wine glass, Mr Ward dances in front of the camera alongside his daughter Frankie who made the film and posted it to social media.

'When your dad's dying of coronavirus but you need a TikTok. Calm it hun,' she wrote in the caption of the clip.

Pictured: Michael Ward

Pictured: Michael Ward's daughter Frankie

Outraged Harrods staff have since contacted MailOnline to express their disgust at the £1.5million-a-year CEO of the luxury department store.

Many claim they have been forced to work to keep the store open amid coronavirus while others, such as Selfridges, have temporarily closed.

There are currently more than 3,260 cases of the deadly virus confirmed across the UK, with 144 deaths reported.

One worker said: 'While Harrods forces its staff to go to work during this global pandemic this is how the CEO Michael Ward is reacting to the global issue.'

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Harrods staff also claim the staff canteen is so small they are unable to comply with the Government's advice for social distancing.

One worker said: 'My colleagues and I feel humiliated for having to decide between going to work and risking our health and the health of everyone we come into contact with.

'Many of the luxury brands have sent their staff home but we have been told to continue to come into work. With reduced transport it is increasingly difficult.'

Mr Ward (pictured) has since issued an apology for the clip which he said was a 'misguided attempt at social media'

Harrods added the clip 'in no way reflects the concern and dedication that Michael Ward (left) has put towards ensuring that Harrods colleagues are protected from the impacts of coronavirus'

The video, which was posted to social media by the Harrods chief's daughter, appears to have been made in his London flat.

Mr Ward has since issued an apology for the clip which he said was a 'misguided attempt at social media.'

'The caption in this video in no way reflects my views of what is an extremely serious and distressing time for everyone,' he told MailOnline in a statement.

'The video uploaded to my daughter Frankie's TikTok account captures a moment of light-hearted relief while at home - the caption entirely mislabels my intention, which was a misguided attempt at social media and completely unrelated to current events.

'I can see how the video does not convey this and could be misconstrued, and I am deeply sorry for any offence caused.

'This week my team and I have been working closely to ensure that Harrods colleagues are protected – both in their safety and in their jobs,' he added.

Clutching an empty wine glass, Mr Ward dances in front of the camera alongside his daughter Frankie who made the film and posted it to TikTok

Pictured: Mr Ward and Frankie

Pictured: Mr Ward and Frankie

'Yesterday we took the extremely difficult decision to close the doors of Harrods, while keeping our food hall and pharmacy open to continue to serve the local community.

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A spokesperson for Harrods added the clip 'in no way reflects the concern and dedication that Michael Ward has put towards ensuring that Harrods colleagues are protected from the impacts of coronavirus'.

Prior to appearing to mock victims, Mr Ward was filmed sitting down in an armchair with a glass of wine and singing about the takeaway service Deliveroo.

The video also features Mr Ward's daughter twerking for the camera before her father appears and begins his crude impersonation of someone with the virus.

He appears to say 'I'm gonna die' in the video as he mocks someone struggling for breath and coughing. His daughter appears to confirm he was mocking victims by labelling it 'when your dad's dying of coronavirus.'

Mr Ward, who has been CEO of Harrods for almost 14 years, divides his time between London and a cottage in France. He has two grown up daughters.

The luxury store is owned by the Qatari Sovereign Fund having been bought from Mohammed Al Fayed.

A spokesperson for Harrods said: 'This is a time of uncertainty for the whole of the UK, and the welfare of our community of employees, customers and partners has been our absolute priority as a business.

'Michael Ward and Harrods have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and welfare of the 5,000 employees for which we are responsible, and yesterday the business made the extremely difficult decision to close our doors from 7pm this evening with the exception of our Food Hall and pharmacy which will remain open to the community.

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'This video in no way reflects the concern and dedication that Michael Ward has put towards ensuring that Harrods colleagues are protected from the impacts of coronavirus, both in the short and long term.'