The BBC has released a trailer and set a May premiere date for ‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103‘, a factual drama based on the true story of the bombing of a passenger flight over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988 and the quest to bring its perpetrators to justice.
On 21 December 1988, flight Pan Am 103 was en route from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over Lockerbie, killing 270 people, including 43 British citizens and 190 Americans. It was the worst ever terror attack on British soil and the first major act of terrorism against US citizens.
The series follows the untold story of the Scots-US investigation into the attack and the devastating effect it had on the small town and the families who lost loved ones. From the initial exhaustive search for evidence on the ground in Scotland, via the US and Malta to the trial at Camp Zeist in 2000, the series leads up to the forthcoming new trial in the US. The Bombing of Pan Am 103 also highlights the human impact on the investigators, the families and the Lockerbie community as it sought to rebuild and connect with bereaved families around the world.
The trailer features cast members including Connor Swindells (SAS Rogue Heroes, Sex Education), Patrick J. Adams (Suits, A League of Their Own), Merritt Wever (Unbelievable, Severance), Peter Mullan (Ozark, Payback), Tony Curran (Mary & George, Mayflies), Eddie Marsan (The Power, Ray Donovan), Nicholas Gleaves (After The Flood, The Rising) and Kevin McKidd (Greys Anatomy, Six Four).
The series also features Douglas Hodge (The Great, Catastrophe), Lauren Lyle (Karen Pirie, Vigil), Andrew Rothney (The Undeclared War, Traces), Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey, Guilt), Cora Bissett (Annika, Shetland), Parker Sawyers (Spy/Master, P-Valley), James Harkness (The Sixth Commandment, The Victim), Molly Geddes (Dinosaur, Where We Stop), Khalid Laith (Vigil, Cobra), Amanda Drew (The Gold, Wolf) and more.
Acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee is lead writer, alongside Scottish screenwriter Gillian Roger Park. ‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103’ is produced by World Productions (United, the story of the Munich air disaster, and Anne, the drama about Hillsborough mother and justice campaigner Anne Williams) in association with MGM Television (The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes, Fargo) and Night Train Media (Rogue Agent, Catch me a Killer).
The series was initially developed by MGM Television and Night Train Media. The producer is Julia Stannard (United, War and Peace, Anne) and Michael Keillor (Chimerica, Roadkill, Best Interests) is the director. The soundtrack for the drama is composed by the award-winning Scottish band Mogwai.
The project was developed by filmmaker Adam Morane-Griffiths, whose research includes extensive interviews with Scottish police officers and representatives from United States investigative agencies, many of whom have never previously shared their stories. Producers and writers also spoke to many of the families and loved ones of the victims. Their stories revealed the impact the bombing had on their lives and the heroic activism that followed, resulting in lasting change to the way authorities approached security, safety and duty of care towards those involved in mass fatality incidents.
‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103‘ premieres on BBC iPlayer and BBC One from 9pm on Sunday, 18 May 2025 in the UK. It will be on Netflix globally at a later date.
