
Sex Education star's horror over terror attack that killed 270 people
For almost 30 years, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 has been a forgotten headline. Now, the BBC are shining a light on the tragedy - leaving Connor Swindells lost for words.
December 21, 1988. A routine transatlantic flight from Heathrow to JFK ends in catastrophe. Pan Am Flight 103 explodes mid-air over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground.
It was the deadliest terrorist attack on US citizens before 9/11, yet for many – including some of the cast of BBC One 's gripping new series The Bombing Of Pan Am 103 – the tragedy has become a forgotten headline.
'I didn't know much about it before,' says Sex Education actor Connor Swindells, 28, who plays a Scottish detective. 'The filming process was really informative.'
His co-star, Suits ' Patrick J Adams, 43, says, 'I was seven years old when it happened and living in the UK at the time. As soon as I heard a series was being made about the events, I thought, 'How has this never happened before?''
In the six-part series, also coming to Netflix, Connor and Patrick play opposing forces in the aftermath of the bombing. Connor steps into the role of DS Ed McCusker, the detective leading the case on home soil.
Patrick portrays his American counterpart and rival, FBI special agent Dick Marquise. As Scotland and the US wrangle for control of the investigation in a bid to seek answers, political friction and personal grief collide.
The series doesn't shy away from the geopolitical tensions that followed the bombing. While the FBI got involved assuming there would be cooperation, they were met with resistance from the Scottish authorities.
'I thought the FBI would be welcomed to any investigation,' says Patrick. 'But this happened on Scottish soil – it belonged to them. There was friction despite everyone wanting the same thing.'
That complexity was front and centre for Connor, who found the emotional weight of his role intense. 'This is a story that must be handled with care,' he says. 'It's been a real lesson in trying to do justice to the truth every single day, which is how it should be.'
Joining Patrick and Connor are Merritt Wever as FBI victim services director Kathryn Turman and Eddie Marsan as explosives expert Tom Thurman. Like Connor, Merritt knew little about the tragedy before filming.
'It wasn't on my radar,' she says. 'But once I started speaking to people, so many had connections.' Eddie, however, remembers it vividly. 'It was a terrible moment in history,' he says.
Kathryn went on to reshape the FBI from the inside out once the investigation was closed. 'She saw that, back in 1988, these big investigative institutions lacked a framework for putting families first in the wake of these disasters.
She helped transform the Department of Justice and FBI, essentially giving them a heart,' says Merritt. Writer Jonathan Lee hopes the series does justice to the enormity of the event – and its continued relevance.
'It was the biggest crime scene the world had ever seen at the time,' he says. 'They had to piece together the communication lines across borders, beliefs and individual agendas. It's a lesson we're constantly learning and unlearning.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Glasgow Times
33 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Still Game star taking part in gala day football match
Peterson Park's Gala Day is taking place on Saturday, June 14, featuring a special celebrity football match with participants including Scottish actor Sanjeev Kohli. The actor, known for his role as shopkeeper Navid Harrid in the popular series, will be taking part in the upcoming all-star match at the Glasgow park. Read more: Search for bargains at free family event in Glasgow Held at Peterson Park in Glasgow, the gala day promises a full programme of family-friendly fun, with the celebrity match expected to be a major highlight for attendees of all ages. Alongside the football, visitors can expect to enjoy food stalls, bouncy castles, dancing displays, and even a dog of the year show. The event aims to bring the community together for a day of entertainment, local pride, and summer celebration.


Glasgow Times
37 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Si Ferry to open Italian restaurant Grosso in Dennistoun
Si Ferry, assistant manager at East Kilbride FC and presenter of the Open Goal podcast, is set to open an Italian restaurant called Grosso at 424 Duke Street in Dennistoun. The venue, expected to open in August, will occupy a unit that formerly housed a Lloyds TSB bank. READ MORE: Foodies hail new Glasgow restaurant as 'fantastic addition' to busy area Glasgow World has revealed early plans for the restaurant, which include striking tiled interiors, an open kitchen with a pizza oven, and seating for up to 50 guests. Construction is currently underway, led by a team of builders working to a design created by Glasgow-based Lucid Interiors — the award-winning studio behind projects such as The Gleneagles Hotel, The Fingal in Leith, and Seamill Hydro. Si told Glasgow World: 'When I lived in Dennistoun, this is the type of place I was looking for, somewhere everyone can come, really affordable, good food that folk will love. "I want this to be for local people and I want people to come to Dennistoun for breakfast, lunch or dinner and go to some of the other bars as well." READ MORE: Glasgow shopping centre welcomes exciting new food spot Ferry, originally from Dundee, began his football career as a youth player at Celtic. As host of the Open Goal podcast, he has interviewed many leading figures in Scottish football and taken the show live to venues including The Hydro and SWG3. Now focused on bringing his dream restaurant to life, Ferry is curating a menu inspired by his favourite dishes, developed with the help of two talented chefs — pizza specialist Ally Beattie and award-winning pasta chef Chris Rouse. The menu will feature a blend of comforting and elevated Italian favourites. Early dishes include prawn and crab linguine, 12-hour longhorn beef shin ragù, crispy roast chicken penne, and spaghetti rigate with vodka sauce. Pizzas will range from classics like margherita and pepperoni to sausage and pepper, with room for more adventurous toppings. READ MORE: New Colombian food spot opens up at the Barras Ferry revealed that the collaboration with his chefs came about through a chance conversation with former footballer Aiden McGeady: 'I met Aiden McGeady, just by chance, and said I was thinking about the restaurant. "When I said it would be Italian, he said Chris Rouse is your guy. Chris actually played at Celtic with me when he was a young kid. "I didn't remember that, but I did remember him from when he was at Celino's. I tried a couple of his pasta dishes and I just fell in love with his food. "The three of us have got together and we've come up with this concept of Grosso.' Si's passion for food is deep-rooted and, by his own admission, played a role in his football journey. He shared: 'Food was a big part of what happened in my football career. I was always overweight when I played football. I was told to stay on a strict diet but we had an Italian restaurant at the bottom of the road when I was at Swindon, Fratellis. "I ended up being really good pals with the owner, I still speak to him now, they had a chicken and asparagus risotto that would blow your mind - full of cream and butter, I was eating that about four times a week. 'That's probably the reason my football career went the way it did - fantastic Italian food. "So I may as well make a new career out of that. I think, for footballers, you live such a rigid life with food Monday to Friday, maybe on a weekend, you get some pizza or pasta and it's something to look forward to. 'Friends, I have in football like Scott Arfield and Charlie Mulgrew, they are excited about the restaurant. "I've asked Slaney to talk to Kieran Tierney about visiting. I've invited Lewis Capaldi to come in as well. "I'm actually doing a bit of training now to help out front of house. It will be nice to have people I've known for years coming in with their families and enjoying the food. "Most of all, I'm looking forward to the people who live here in Dennistoun seeing what we are going to do.' Grosso will join a strong lineup of local food and drink favourites along Duke Street, including Tibo, Redmond's, Zennor, Coia's, La Bodega, and Mesa — further cementing Dennistoun's growing reputation as a vibrant destination for dining and hospitality.


Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
EastEnders star to quit BBC soap after four years 'to look for other opportunities'
Bobby Brazier who plays Freddie Slater in EastEnders is set to leave the iconic BBC soap in by the end of the year. Bobby Brazier is set to leave Albert Square as his time on EastEnders is over after a four-year stint. The actor and model, known for his role as Freddie Slater, has gained a lot of attraction and offers following his time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023 where he finished runner-up. The 22-year-old's exit from Walford is scheduled for later this year, the Mirror reports. As an EastEnders spokesperson confirmed: "We can confirm that Bobby Brazier will be leaving EastEnders, and we wish him all the best for the future.' A source close to the show, told The Sun: "Bosses recently met with Bobby to discuss a potential storyline, but Bobby felt this was the right moment to explore new ventures beyond the series. "The timing aligned perfectly for both parties. Although his final scenes are some time away, the character has enjoyed a strong run, and now is the time for Bobby to pursue fresh opportunities while EastEnders bids farewell to Freddie Slater." Bobby's departure from EastEnders comes amid a wave of bold casting moves by new executive producer Ben Wadey, who's reviving the drama by bringing back fan favourites including Michelle Ryan (Zoe Slater), Jake Wood (Max Branning), and Max Bowden (Ben Mitchell). At the same time, Lacey Turner is taking a break from her iconic role as Stacey Slater. Since joining the soap as Freddie Slater back in 2022, Bobby has gone on to win the National Television Award for Rising Star as well as appearing on Curfew a Paramount+ drama while continuing to film for the BBC soap. Clearly enjoying his craft, Bobby recently revealed: 'I love my job. I love being on EastEnders and I love modelling. But I'll probably take a break at some point. Just travel, get inspired, meet new people." Looking back on his journey, the once-reserved 22 year old admitted that fame hasn't always felt natural - particularly during his time on Strictly Come Dancing, when he initially "wanted to get voted off." Bobby connects his unease in the spotlight back to the loss of his mother, Jade Goody, who passed away when he was only five years old. "I don't want to be famous. Maybe I did when I was younger. Now I just want to act," he candidly shared. His EastEnders storyline saw Freddie mistakenly believe Billy Mitchell was his father, leading to an emotional and intense confrontation - an early sign that Bobby had the ability to "blow us away" with his raw and honest performances. He later took on a deeply personal journey exploring ADHD representation. One standout scene - where Freddie confronted a former teacher and revisited his past school trauma. Fans praised the depth of his emotional portrayal, capturing the character's grief and anger in a way that resonated both on and off screen. In a powerful 2023 storyline, Freddie defended Stacey Slater from a violent assault attempt by Theo Hawthorne. In the gripping performance that left viewers in tears and earned widespread praise, he attacked Theo with an iron. More recently, Freddie uncovered the harrowing truth that his biological father is Graham Foster - his mother's attacker. The storyline delved into Freddie's emotional turmoil and determination as he seeks out Graham at a car dealership. In the heart-wrenching scenes that followed, Freddie made the decision to firmly cut ties with Graham leaving viewers deeply moved by the emotional moment.