The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (© BBC/World Productions)

What To Expect From The BBC’s Lockerbie Drama

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The Bombing of Pan Am 103 premieres later this month

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What To Expect From The BBC's Lockerbie Drama

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (© BBC/World Productions)

If we had a nickel for every 2025 TV series that delves into the catastrophic 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, we’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. While Sky’s original series starring Colin Firth, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth, premiered at the start of January, the BBC and Netflix’s take on the action is still to be released – and is more of a transatlantic affair. Here’s everything you need to know about The Bombing of Pan Am 103, plus when we’ll get to see it.

The Bombing Of Pan Am 103: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

Written by acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee, directed by Michael Keillor and produced by Julia Stannard, The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is a six-part drama based on the catastrophic true story of the bombing of a passenger flight over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988, and the subsequent quest to bring the perpetrators to justice. While Sky’s take centres on bereaved father Dr Jim Swire’s relentless pursuit of the truth, the BBC’s factual drama is more about the ensuing Scots-US investigation.

What Will Happen?

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 begins with the titular tragic event. An American flight was en route from Heathrow to JFK, and was passing over Scotland when a bomb was detonated, killing 270 people, including 43 Brits and 190 Americans. It remains the deadliest terror attack in British history, and was the very first major act of terrorism against US citizens.

What followed was a major investigation, with Scottish and American police collaborating to uncover the truth, which culminated in the trial at Camp Zeist in 2000. The Bombing of Pan Am 103 traces the devastating effect the attack had on the small town of Lockerbie, the families who lost loved ones, the exhaustive search for evidence on the ground, and the human impact on the investigators as they pursued the perpetrators. And, with a new trial set to take place in the US this year, The Bombing of Pan Am 103 brings us right up to the present day.

The Trailer

Watch the trailer below:

The Cast

Connor Swindells
Patrick J. Adams
Merritt Wever
Peter Mullan
Tony Curran
Eddie Marsan
Nicholas Gleaves
Kevin McKidd
Douglas Hodge
Lauren Lyle
Andrew Rothney
Phyllis Logan
Cora Bissett
Parker Sawyers
James Harkness
Molly Geddes
Khalid Laith
Amanda Drew

Is It Based On A True Story?

Yes, The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is based on the real 1988 Lockerbie bombing. The series was developed by filmmaker Adam Morane-Griffiths, who interviewed Scottish police officers and representatives from United States investigative agencies – many of whom have never previously shared their stories – to piece together the factual drama.

Where Was It Filmed?

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 was filmed in Scotland, Malta and Toronto.

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 Release Date

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 premieres on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday 18 May, with new episodes premiering at 9pm every Sunday and Monday for three weeks. The release schedule is as follows: