OSCAR winning actor Colin Firth is to star in a new drama series about Lockerbie, it was revealed this week.
Best known for his roles in Bridget Jones, Love Actually, The King’s Speech, Pride and Prejudice and Mamma Mia, he will play grieving father Dr Jim Swire in the upcoming Sky production, titled ‘Lockerbie’.
Described as ‘a limited event series’, it 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.
Firth will portray the English GP who tragically lost his beloved daughter, Flora, in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103, and has doggedly pursued justice, along with his wife Jane, ever since.
The show synopsis says: “In the wake of the disaster and his daughter Flora’s death, Dr Jim Swire (Firth), is nominated spokesperson for the UK victims’ families, who have united 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 sullied.”
Filming will start shortly and the team behind ‘Lockerbie’ say they will be “exploring events from the disaster and its aftermath” to make “an intimate account of a man, a husband, and a father who risks everything in memory of his daughter and the unflinching pursuit of truth and justice”.
The five-part series is a co-production between Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios and Sky Studios.
It will be written by renowned Scottish playwright David Harrower with guest writer Maryam Hamidi and directed by Otto Bathurst and Jim Loach.
Lockerbie will be shown on Sky and NOW in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and on Peacock in the US.
