Created by Jonathan Lee.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 premiered on May 18, 2025, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Distributed by BBC One in the UK and Netflix worldwide.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 TV Series Review
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is a serious drama about the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
The series follows Scottish police and FBI investigators as they search for answers after the tragedy.
It also shows how the bombing affected families and the local community.
The cast gives strong performances, especially Connor Swindells, Patrick J. Adams, and Peter Mullan.
The story is emotional and shows how difficult the investigation was.
Some parts may feel slow, but the series remains interesting and powerful.
Overall, it is a good choice for viewers who enjoy true crime, history, police investigations, and stories based on real events.
CR Rating: 8/10.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 Actors
Connor Swindells as DS Ed McCusker
DOB: September 19, 1996.
Bio: English actor and producer from East Sussex.
He became widely known for playing Adam Groff in the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education.
He later gained further recognition for portraying SAS founder David Stirling in the historical drama SAS: Rogue Heroes.
Role: DS Ed McCusker is a Scottish police detective at the heart of The Bombing of Pan Am 103.
He is among the investigators responding to the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie on December 21, 1988.
McCusker becomes involved in the enormous investigation into the crash and the evidence recovered from the devastated area.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting Facts: Swindells became internationally recognized through Sex Education before moving into major dramatic roles.
Notable Works: Sex Education, SAS: Rogue Heroes, Barbie, Emma., The Vanishing.
Patrick J. Adams as Dick Marquise
DOB: August 27, 1981.
Bio: Canadian actor, director, and producer born in Toronto, Ontario.
He studied at the University of Southern California and became internationally recognized for playing Mike Ross in the legal drama Suits.
In addition to acting, he has directed several television episodes, including episodes of Suits.
Role: Dick Marquise is an FBI special agent who becomes one of the key American figures in the investigation.
His work takes him across the Atlantic as the United States becomes heavily involved in determining who planned and carried out the bombing.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting Facts: Adams is an avid photographer and reportedly owns more than 60 cameras.
He also directed four episodes of Suits.
Notable Works: Suits, Orphan Black, The Right Stuff, Clara, Legends of Tomorrow.
Lauren Lyle as June McCusker
DOB: July 12, 1993.
Bio: Scottish actress from Glasgow.
She became internationally recognized for playing Marsali MacKimmie Fraser in the historical drama Outlander.
She later gained further recognition as the lead of ITV’s crime drama Karen Pirie, in which she plays Detective Sergeant Karen Pirie.
Role: June McCusker is Ed McCusker’s wife and a former police officer who left the profession to raise their two children.
Her background gives her a personal understanding of the pressures and demands of Ed’s work.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting Facts: Lyle’s best-known early international role was Marsali in Outlander.
She later moved into crime drama with Karen Pirie.
Notable Works: Outlander, Karen Pirie, Vigil, The Outrun.
Phyllis Logan as Moira Shearer
DOB: January 11, 1956.
Bio: Scottish actress from Paisley, Renfrewshire.
She trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and began her professional career in theatre before moving into film and television.
She won the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her performance in Another Time, Another Place.
Role: Moira Shearer is a Lockerbie resident whose story helps represent the local community in the aftermath of the bombing.
Her character provides a perspective outside the police investigation, showing how the disaster affected ordinary people living in and around Lockerbie.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting Facts: Logan trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and gained early professional experience with Dundee Repertory Theatre.
Notable Works: Downton Abbey, Another Time, Another Place, Lovejoy, Secrets & Lies.
Tony Curran as DCI Harry Bell
DOB: December 13, 1969.
Bio: Scottish actor from Glasgow.
He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has built an extensive career across British and American film and television.
Curran is known for portraying a wide range of dramatic and action-oriented characters.
Role: DCI Harry Bell is a senior Scottish police officer involved in the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
He is part of the team working to establish what happened and identify those responsible.
Episodes: 5.
Interesting Facts: Before becoming an actor, Curran worked as a postman.
Notable Works: Calibre, Outlaw King, Blade II, Deadwood: The Movie.
Nicholas Gleaves as Allen Feraday
DOB: January 2, 1969.
Bio: English actor from Bolton, Greater Manchester.
He has built an extensive career across television, film, and theatre.
He has also appeared in films such as Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Gleaves is particularly experienced in British drama and crime productions.
Role: Allen Feraday is based on the real-life forensic explosives expert who became involved in the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
His specialist knowledge is important to the forensic examination of evidence recovered after the aircraft was destroyed.
Episodes: 5.
Interesting Facts: Gleaves role as Allen Feraday in The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is based on a real person involved in the Lockerbie investigation.
Notable Works: Spider-Man: Far From Home, Bodyguard, The Crown, Silent Witness, After the Flood.
Eddie Marsan as Tom Thurman
DOB: June 9, 1968.
Bio: English actor from Stepney, London.
Raised in Bethnal Green, he initially trained as a printer before pursuing acting.
Marsan has become one of Britain’s most respected character actors, working across film, television, and theatre.
Role: Tom Thurman is an American explosives expert who becomes involved in the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
His specialist knowledge gives the American side of the investigation an important forensic perspective.
Episodes: 5.
Interesting Facts: Marsan began an apprenticeship as a printer before becoming an actor.
He has won major acting awards for his work in Happy-Go-Lucky.
Notable Works: Happy-Go-Lucky, Ray Donovan, Sherlock Holmes, Vera Drake, The World’s End.
James Harkness as DS Sandy Gay
DOB: January 1993.
Bio: Scottish actor from Glasgow.
Raised in the Gorbals, he developed an interest in acting at a young age and later built a career across film and television.
Role: DS Sandy Gay is a Scottish detective involved in the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
He works alongside the wider police team as investigators deal with the enormous crime scene and the challenging task of gathering and analyzing evidence.
Episodes: 4.
Interesting Facts: Harkness was raised by his mother in Glasgow’s Gorbals and developed an interest in drama while growing up.
Notable Works: The Victim, The Nest, The English Game, Gangs of London, Silent Witness.
Merritt Wever as Kathryn Turman
DOB: August 11, 1980.
Bio: American actress from Manhattan, New York City.
She began acting professionally as a child and gained widespread recognition for playing Zoey Barkow in Nurse Jackie, a performance that earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.
Role: Kathryn Turman is an important American figure in the Lockerbie investigation.
She is involved in the FBI’s work following the bombing and helps connect the American investigation with the wider search for evidence and accountability.
Episodes: 4.
Interesting Facts: Wever has won three Primetime Emmy Awards and became particularly well known for her performances in Nurse Jackie, Godless, and Severance.
Notable Works: Nurse Jackie, Unbelievable, Godless, Severance, The Walking Dead.
Peter Mullan as DCS John Orr
DOB: November 2, 1959.
Bio: Scottish actor, director, and writer born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
He began his career in theatre before establishing himself in film and television.
He won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for My Name Is Joe.
Role: DCS John Orr is a senior Scottish police officer involved in the Lockerbie investigation.
He represents the senior leadership required to coordinate a case that quickly becomes much larger than a normal criminal investigation.
Episodes: 4.
Interesting Facts: Mullan originally wanted to direct films and made short films before focusing on acting.
He later directed The Magdalene Sisters.
Notable Works: My Name Is Joe, Trainspotting, Braveheart, The Magdalene Sisters, Children of Men, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Robert Jack as Bob Monetti
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Scottish actor and director who trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
He has worked across television, film, and theatre, his work includes both historical drama and contemporary crime productions.
Role: Bob Monetti is an American investigator involved in the wider investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
As the case develops into an international investigation, Bob represents the American law-enforcement personnel working alongside their Scottish counterparts.
Episodes: 4.
Interesting Facts: Jack played Tsar Nicholas II in the 2019 historical series The Last Czars.
Notable Works: The Last Czars, Shetland, Gary: Tank Commander, Annika.
Estrid Barton as Ella Ramsden
DOB: N/A.
Bio: British actress whose screen credits include Theodosia, Outrageous, and The Bombing of Pan Am 103.
She has worked across period and contemporary drama, building her screen career through supporting roles in television.
Role: Ella Ramsden is a character connected to the human stories surrounding the Lockerbie bombing and its aftermath.
Her presence helps broaden the series beyond the central police investigation and highlights the wider group of people whose lives are touched by the disaster.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting Facts: Barton played Lady Throckhorton in the historical mystery series Theodosia and Fräulein Baum in the period drama Outrageous.
Notable Works: Theodosia, Outrageous.
More Actors
• Parker Sawyers as Phil Reid.
• Adrian Lukis as Roy Burman.
• Andrew Rothney as Willie Armstrong.
• Molly Geddes as Lauren Aitken.
FAQ – The Bombing of Pan Am 103 TV Series
What is The Bombing of Pan Am 103 about?
It tells the story of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and the international investigation that followed.
Is The Bombing of Pan Am 103 based on a true story?
Yes. The series is based on the real Lockerbie bombing and the investigation into the attack.
Will there be Season 2?
No Season 2 has been announced. The series was produced as a six-part limited drama.
How many episodes does the series have?
It has six episodes.
Where can I watch The Bombing of Pan Am 103?
The series is available internationally on Netflix. It originally aired on BBC One in the UK.
Conclusion
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is an emotional and informative series with strong performances.
It is worth watching for viewers interested in true crime, history, and real-life investigations.