The BBC has teamed up with Netflix to commission a new six-part factual drama based on the true events surrounding the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and the joint investigation into the disaster by Scottish and American authorities.
Titled Lockerbie, the upcoming series comes from Line of Duty producer World Productions in association with MGM Television and Night Train Media, with filming set to commence in Scotland, Malta and Toronto later this year.
On 21 December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was making a journey from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people. 43 British citizens and 190 Americans died in the terror attack, which was the worst to take place on British soil and the first major one on US citizens.
© J K Press/ShutterstockThe synopsis teases: "Lockerbie will focus on the investigation into the crash on both sides of the Atlantic 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 drama takes us right up to the most recent indictment at the end of 2022."
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Filmmaker Adam Morane-Griffiths initiated the project and has carried out extensive research, including interviews with Scottish police officers and representatives from United States investigative agencies, many of whom shared their stories for the first time.
© Stuart Wallace/ShutterstockAcclaimed novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee is penning the series, with two episodes written by Scottish screenwriter Gillian Roger Park. Meanwhile, Michael Keillor has signed on to direct the project.
Jonathan Lee said of the project: "The Pan Am 103 Disaster and the global manhunt it spawned was a defining event in world history – one that contains so many instances of resilience and courage that deserve to be honoured and understood. It’s a privilege to write this story for the screen."
Executive producer Adam Morane-Griffiths added: "I've been working on this project for seven years, so it's very dear to my heart. The investigation was extraordinary, as was the trial, and I'm beyond excited to work with such incredible partners bringing it to life."
© Steffan HillMeanwhile, the BBC's Commissioning Editor, Gaynor Holmes, said of the series: "We have the right team in place to tell this extraordinary story with the greatest of care, making sure the series reflects the devastating events of that night, the complex and far-reaching investigation that followed and the effect it had on all those who lost loved ones."
Netflix's Mona Qureshi added: "Netflix is proud to partner with the BBC to bring a true story that feels as raw and urgent as ever, to audiences in the UK and across the world."
The announcement comes over a year after Sky and Peacock joined forces to greenlight a separate drama series, also titled Lockerbie. The project, which was set to focus on a couple who lost their daughter in the terror attack, was meant to premiere this year but has been delayed.
