The Bombing of Pan Am 103: Connor Swindles Interview
Connor Swindles has been talking about new BBC drama The Bombing of Pan Am 103
On 21 December 1988, flight Pan Am 103 was en route from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over 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 act of terrorism against US citizens.
Made by World Productions, with lead writer Jonathan Lee, The Bombing of Pan Am 103 follows the untold story of the Scots-US investigation into the attack and the devastating effect it had on the small town and the families who lost loved ones. From the initial exhaustive search for evidence on the ground in Scotland, via the US and Malta to the trial at Camp Zeist in 2000, the series leads up to the upcoming new trial in the US.
The six-part series also highlights the human impact on the families, investigators and the Lockerbie community as it sought to rebuild and connect with bereaved families around the world.
The executive producers are Simon Heath and Roderick Seligman for World Productions; Steve Stark and Stacey Levin for Toluca Pictures, Adam Morane-Griffiths, Sara Curran, Herbert L. Kloiber for Night Train Media, Jonathan Lee, Michael Keillor; and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC. The co-executive producer is Joe Hill. Mona Qureshi and Manda Levin lead for Netflix.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103: Connor Swindles
How would you describe the series to those who don’t know the story?
The series is about the police force who investigated the case. It follows all the key figures involved in trying to get justice for this terrible attack that happened in 1988 over a small town in Scotland called Lockerbie, where Flight Pan Am 103 was bombed out of the sky.
Why do you think people should watch The Bombing of Pan Am 103?
People should watch this because I myself didn’t know much about this terrible event before taking on this role. The whole filming process was really informative for me, and I think this is a moment in history that people who aren’t familiar with should be. It’s so important to memorialise the people who lost their lives, both those on the flight and those on the ground. And I think it is also important for people to understand the toll that was taken on those who tried to help as best they could – the police force and the surrounding community in the Lockerbie area.
What were your first impressions of the script?
The main draw for me was the way this script delicately tells a story which was so awful and horrific. The script handles such a hard subject with extreme sensitivity.
What was it like to play this role?
It was hard playing someone who was on the frontlines of a case such as this. Emotionally it definitely takes a toll and I didn’t realise that before we started filming, perhaps naively. There certainly is a tax that comes with even just a ‘smidge’ of putting myself into this world, though of course it is just a very small fraction of what the real-life investigators we’re depicting experienced.
This is a story that must be handled with care, and we felt the responsibility of depicting this subject matter with responsibility and respect.
What was it like meeting the real Edward McCusker?
Meeting Ed was great, he’s an incredibly warm, friendly man who was so generous with his time. He had me around to lunch at his house. He was so generous with trying to recount as much as possible the events that occurred, lifting me up with as much support as he could. He’s been a great resource, not just to me but to everyone on this production, and I’m very grateful.
Does portraying a real-life story change how you approach a role?
Being part of a drama that’s based on a real story like this affects every little decision you make. There is definitely a pressure, a want and a need to do justice to the people involved and to the events. It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked, I’d say. It’s been a real lesson in trying to do justice to the truth every single day, which is how it should be.
What has been the most interesting or memorable part of filming?
Every day was interesting, there were always new things I was learning about what actually happened with the case – the ways in which they uncovered the truth and the great ‘hive mind’ that came together to get it done.
What’s it been like filming and working in Scotland?
It’s been a dream, the people have been so brilliant and welcoming to me. I love Scotland and I spend a lot of time up here, my partner is from here. It’s a place that’s familiar to me and a place I feel at home.
The series will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, and will be available on Netflix globally at a later date.