Lauren Lyle, best known for her role as Marsali Fraser in the Starz hit drama Outlander, is taking on a powerful new challenge with her latest project. The 31-year-old actress from Glasgow will be starring in The Bombing of Pan Am 103, a fact-based drama from the BBC and Netflix that explores the aftermath of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
Lyle, who portrayed Marsali from 2017 to 2022 and is set to reprise her role in the final eighth season of Outlander, now steps into the shoes of June McCusker. Her character is the wife of detective Ed McCusker, portrayed by Sex Education’s Connor Swindells. Ed McCusker played a key role in the investigation, collaborating with teams from both the UK and the USA to uncover those responsible for the tragic terrorist attack.
Speaking at a recent press screening in London, Lyle discussed the emotional weight and dramatic scope of her new role. According to the Scottish Daily Express, she shared insights with outlets like Reach Screen Time, highlighting how different this project is compared to Outlander.
“It’s a really different thing. Outlander is a very fantasy sort of thing. The scale of the sets is probably similar in places,” Lyle noted. “On Outlander, they build enormous, very cinematic, incredibly detailed sets.”
While she didn’t personally visit the Lockerbie bomb site, Lyle revealed she viewed extensive footage. “Connor would send me stuff because we would be speaking, and it was very detailed. It looked really mass scale.”
She also praised the authenticity of the production design on The Bombing of Pan Am 103. From vintage 1980s video game consoles to pancakes on the stove, the McCusker home was recreated with meticulous care. “Everyone was very dedicated to making sure it was authentic, and it definitely felt large—a really big production involved,” she said.
Lyle, who has also starred in Karen Pirie and Vigil, shared how personally meaningful this role was to her. “I think being Scottish, it’s a very personal story that I’ve grown up [with]. I didn’t live through it but my parents did and my family did. It’s always been something I’ve known a lot about,” she said.
She added, “It’s something we never really talk about and everyone sort of grimaces. Lockerbie is really known as ‘that place that that happened’.”
Her path to the series began when she discovered that World Productions—the team behind her ITV detective drama Karen Pirie—was developing the show. Captivated by the idea of portraying such a historic and tragic moment, she said she would be “honoured” to take on any role in the production.
The six-part series dives deep into the efforts of investigators seeking justice after the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 270 people. The drama portrays the tireless pursuit of truth and justice, while honoring the lives lost and the communities impacted.
Lyle stars alongside a stellar ensemble cast including Connor Swindells, Patrick J. Adams, Eddie Marsan, Merritt Wever, Peter Mullan, Phyllis Logan, and Tony Curran.
The BBC will debut the series by airing two episodes each week on Sundays and Mondays over a three-week period. Following the UK release, Netflix will make the show available to international audiences.