BBC, Netflix commission Lockerbie drama
July 31, 2023
The BBC and Netflix have commissioned World Productions to make Lockerbie, a factual drama based on the real events surrounding the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and the joint Scots-US investigation which sought to bring the perpetrators to justice.
On December 21st 1988, flight Pan Am 103 was en route from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over the small Scottish town of 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 one on US citizens.
The lead writer is novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee, with two episodes written by Scottish screenwriter Gillian Roger Park. The 6 x 60 series is produced by World Productions in association with MGM Television. Lockerbie will air on BBC One and iPlayer followed by Netflix in the UK and globally. Julia Stannard will produce and Michael Keillor will direct. The project was initially developed by MGM Television and Night Train Media.
Lockerbie will focus on the investigation into the crash on both sides of the Atlantic and the impact it had on the small town and the families who lost loved ones. From the initial search for evidence on the ground in Scotland, via the US and Malta to the trial at Camp Zeist in 2000, the drama will take audiences right up to the most recent indictment at the end of 2022.
The project was initiated by filmmaker Adam Morane-Griffiths whose research includes extensive interviews with Scottish police officers and representatives from US investigative agencies, many of whom have never previously shared their stories.
Filming will take place later this year in Scotland, Malta and Toronto.
Lee commented: “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.”
Simon Heath, CEO, World Productions, said: “We feel honoured to be given the responsibility of bringing such an extraordinary and epoch defining story to the screen, via Jonathan and Gillian’s brilliant scripts.”
Executive Producer, Adam Morane-Griffiths, said: “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.”
Head of Scripted at MGM Television, Lindsay Sloane, said: “The investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which has been expertly researched by Adam Morane-Griffiths who provided the basis for the scripts, is an important story to tell. He painstakingly researched the incident through extensive interviews with Scottish police officers and representatives from United States investigative agencies, many of whom have never previously shared their stories. We are proud to have shepherded this project and are thrilled that Netflix and the BBC have greenlit the series.”
Gaynor Holmes, Commissioning Editor, BBC, said: “The tragic events which took place in Scotland that night continue to have an impact on our country and in particular the Lockerbie community. It was an atrocity which shocked the world and changed lives forever. 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.”
Mona Qureshi at Netflix added: “The moment we read Jonathan’s pilot script, informed by Adam’s meticulous research, we understood that this team had found a way into these events that is epic and intimate, local and global, personal and political. The devastation wrought on the night of 21st December 1988 continues to reverberate through the decades. 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.”