Colin Firth spotted on set of Lockerbie bombing drama
21 March 2024
Updated 2 hours ago
Colin Firth has been spotted filming a new drama based on the Lockerbie bombing in Scotland.
The actor takes on the role of grieving father Dr Jim Swire in the upcoming Sky series. Dr Swire and his wife Jane led the campaign for an inquiry into the tragic bombing of Pan Am flight 103 on 21 December 1988 after their daughter Flora was among the 270 people killed in the disaster.
Firth, 63, was photographed on set walking among the wreckage of the flight in Bathgate, West Lothian. The series, titled Lockerbie, is based on the book “The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search For Justice” by Dr Swire and Peter Biddulph.
Scottish playwright David Harrower and Bafta-winning director Otto Bathurst are leading the creative team behind the production. The series will delve into Dr Swire’s relentless pursuit for justice as a spokesperson for the victims’ families through the UK Families Flight 103 group, examining the tragedy and its aftermath.
Firth, acclaimed for his role in “The King’s Speech,” shares the screen with other actors portraying police officers and soldiers in the drama.
In a separate development, the BBC and Netflix have commissioned World Productions to create a six-part drama exploring the Lockerbie bombing as well. Novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee and director Michael Keillor are attached to this project.
Historically, the Lockerbie bombing remains one of the deadliest terror attacks in British history. Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer, was the only person to be convicted for the bombing. However, there have been ongoing controversies and doubts surrounding his conviction. Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds due to his terminal illness in 2009 and returned to Libya, where he passed away in 2012.
His family, along with some relatives of the bombing victims, believe he was a victim of a miscarriage of justice. Another suspect, Libyan Abu Agila Masud, is alleged to have assisted in the making of the bomb.
As these two compelling dramas shed light on the tragic events of the Lockerbie bombing, viewers are poised to witness the gripping stories of those affected by this devastating act of terrorism.