The grim but powerful-looking first images and trailer have been released for the new five-part series Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, inspired by the true-life events and aftermath of the 1988 explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
The series stars Academy Award-winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, A Single Man) and Catherine McCormack (Slow Horses) and debuts on Binge on 2 January.
In what is regarded as one of the world’s worst terrorist attacks, the Lockerbie disaster saw 259 passengers and crew killed when the flight exploded just 38 minutes after take-off, with a further 11 residents losing their life as the plane came down. Compounding the tragedy was the protracted confusion and political turmoil around who was responsible and what had been covered up or known beforehand.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is based on the 2021 book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph. The British series, filmed in Scotland earlier this year, is directed by Otto Bathhurst and Jim Loach.
ScreenHub: Binge – best new shows streaming October 2024
Firth plays Dr Jim Swire, who In the wake of the disaster and his daughter’s death, is nominated spokesperson for the UK victims’ families, who unite to demand truth and justice. ‘Travelling across continents and political divides, Jim embarks on a relentless journey that not only jeopardises his stability, family and life, but completely overturns his trust in the justice system. As the truth shifts under Jim’s feet, his view of the world is left forever changed.’
Set over three decades, the series follows Swire’s quest to find the truth and seek justice. ‘Set amidst heightened international conflict and conspiracy, Dr. Jim Swire questions his long-held beliefs and allegiances as he mounts a controversial, decades-long campaign that takes him to the deserts of Libya where he met Colonel Muammar Gaddafi (Nabil Alraee) and to the Netherlands for the trial of convicted Libyan national, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi (Ardalan Esmaili). The series charts the devastating impact of Lockerbie on Jim and Jane Swire, their family, as well as the families of victims across the world.’
Production credits: Lockerbie: The Search for Truth is a co-production between Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios, and Sky Studios. Renowned Scottish playwright David Harrower (Blackbird, Knives in Hens) is lead writer. Maryam Hamidi (Vigil) is guest writer on an episode. BAFTA Award-winning Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders, The Winter King) is lead director. Jim Loach (Save Me) will also direct an episode. Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant are Executive Producers for Carnival Films. Sam Hoyle is Executive Producer for Sky Studios. Additional Executive Producers include David Harrower, Otto Bathurst, Liz Trubridge, Jim Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan and Oskar Slingerland. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution will handle international sales of the series. Universal International Studios is a division of Universal Studio Group. The series is based on the book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph, along with multiple other sources.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth premieres Thursday 2 January 2025 on Binge, available on Hubbl, and at 8.30pm on Showcase, and available On Demand in Australia. It will show on Sky Atlantic and Now in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and on Peacock in the United States.
