The "Up" documentary series (Seven Up! to 63 Up)

[Mel O'Drama]

Having read your review of 28 Up I think this was the first episode I watched.

Interesting. This was the episode where I felt most of their life paths took on quite a similarity with marriage and settling down. Of course, they were still very different, but perhaps the oil and water element was a bit less noticeable as they mellowed a little. I'm sure the recaps of older films were essential to get the bigger picture.

What first fascinated me about it was how interesting it was to see ordinary people living what was in most cases just ordinary lives.

The series is a bit like a cross between a soap opera and a reality show before reality shows were a thing.

Very true. Especially when the first four or five aired. I think my first awareness of fly on the wall type reality series with soapy elements came with The Marriage, and that was two years after 28 aired.

Of course, more recently, I've caught up with older reality series. Not least 1974's The Family which I loved and chatted about quite a bit at the time I watched. And now the Ups.

He always seemed very comfortable chatting on camera, in fact he seemed to relish the limelight.

Oh, didn't he just. Always ready with a sound bite ready pearl of wisdom.

He also is brutally honest and open and quite happy to discuss any aspect of his life which makes him so captivating to watch.

It's strange that Tony, who was perhaps one of the wildest and unpredictable of the kids, is actually one of the stabilising elements of the series because he's so authentic and quite unchanging. He's still a bit wild, of course, but he's also pretty predictable and that's why it's a treat to catch up with him.

While most of the participants at this stage were conforming to societal norms and expectations, (in work, marriage, children, divorce, etc.) Neil's life was the most unpredictable and from purely an entertainment point of view, the most engrossing to watch. Seeing him homeless after seeing clips of him in earlier episodes was shocking and his mental state seemed fragile and deteriorating. I remember at the front feeling worried for him and was genuinely concerned if he would survive to participate in the next update.

That's how I'm feeling at the moment. More than any of the other participants I feel I'm rooting for Neil because he's the only one not rooting for himself.

What I do like about the series is how some characters declined to take part in a particular year but later agreed to participate in a future programme. It's a bit like a relative or a friend that you lose touch with over time and later your paths cross and you have a big catch up session.

Yes, I had that experience with John. He missed 28, then seeing him in 35 felt a bit more exciting because there was more to catch up on. And now he's declined to appear in 42. I hope we catch up with him a bit later in life, and it would be nice to see him reunited with Andrew (Charles being there would be even better, but it seems there's little to no chance of that happening, sadly).

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Oh, I do worry about Neil.

It's clear his mental health is declining in some areas, and he's rejected help. As always, of all the participants I'm most curious to see where he'll be in Part 2 of 42.

Well, Part 2 of 42 gave me a moment that was absolutely everything I'd want from this series. Not only did we get a degree of resolution with both Neil and Bruce but it was tied in with a significant life event for a participant and a reunion between two participants.

The latter is something I've been craving, since I feel I need to see how different sections of the original participants interact as adults, with the thread of the series running through their lives and, with busier lives this hasn't happened very much. The only other example of a reunion I can think of is that between Paul and Symon when they revisited the children's home.

Bruce's wedding felt very special, because we've watched him grow up and seen his personal life somewhat on the back burner compared with his vocation. Watching the wedding near the beginning of Part 2 felt hard to top, until at the end of the episode we saw Neil - now a Lib Dem councillor in Hackney - living a life that's more fulfilled and ticks off things he'd wished in earlier films (albeit he seemed at the time to think the dream was too out of reach to be a possibility).

42's winning moment was tying these two stories together by returning to Bruce's wedding ceremony and zooming out to show Neil standing before Bruce and his bride, and only after this telling us how the two had reunited years earlier during a gathering related to the previous event. Neil and Bruce are the two participants who have been most in need of companionship, which makes their friendship feel all the more important.

They're also the two who have taken paths that have been unexpected. Neil's the child of teachers who opted out of the life they intended for him. Bruce is the public schoolboy who has never allowed his background to overshadow his empathy for everyone no matter what their background. Indeed, Apted has asked each of them "Aren't you better than this?" at least once (Neil in regard to squatting in a caravan, Bruce in regard to his choice to teach at an inner city school).

I hope these threads continue.

The other big surprise for me in 42 was Jackie living in Scotland. There's an interesting reverse symmetry to the three girls becoming more apart at a time when Bruce and Neil are coming together. And after my previous comment about Sue being rather conservative, that came across most strongly with Lynn this time round as she spoke about what she felt was a moral decline in the country. I'd be interested to hear more about the participants' stances on political and social issues. I suspect I might be quite surprised.

 

[Angela Channing]

Well, Part 2 of 42 gave me a moment that was absolutely everything I'd want from this series. Not only did we get a degree of resolution with both Neil and Bruce but it was tied in with a significant life event for a participant and a reunion between two participants.

The latter is something I've been craving, since I feel I need to see how different sections of the original participants interact as adults, with the thread of the series running through their lives and, with busier lives this hasn't happened very much. The only other example of a reunion I can think of is that between Paul and Symon when they revisited the children's home.

Bruce's wedding felt very special, because we've watched him grow up and seen his personal life somewhat on the back burner compared with his vocation. Watching the wedding near the beginning of Part 2 felt hard to top, until at the end of the episode we saw Neil - now a Lib Dem councillor in Hackney - living a life that's more fulfilled and ticks off things he'd wished in earlier films (albeit he seemed at the time to think the dream was too out of reach to be a possibility).

42's winning moment was tying these two stories together by returning to Bruce's wedding ceremony and zooming out to show Neil standing before Bruce and his bride, and only after this telling us how the two had reunited years earlier during a gathering related to the previous event. Neil and Bruce are the two participants who have been most in need of companionship, which makes their friendship feel all the more important.

They're also the two who have taken paths that have been unexpected. Neil's the child of teachers who opted out of the life they intended for him. Bruce is the public schoolboy who has never allowed his background to overshadow his empathy for everyone no matter what their background. Indeed, Apted has asked each of them "Aren't you better than this?" at least once (Neil in regard to squatting in a caravan, Bruce in regard to his choice to teach at an inner city school).

I hope these threads continue.

The other big surprise for me in 42 was Jackie living in Scotland. There's an interesting reverse symmetry to the three girls becoming more apart at a time when Bruce and Neil are coming together. And after my previous comment about Sue being rather conservative, that came across most strongly with Lynn this time round as she spoke about what she felt was a moral decline in the country. I'd be interested to hear more about the participants' stances on political and social issues. I suspect I might be quite surprised.

I think episode was one of the best of the entire series because it was more than just an update on people's lives, it was also like the progression of a story. Neil continues to fascinate me in how eventful his life is and I was relieved to see that not only was he alive and well after the previous episode but he seemed to be thriving.

Until Bruce and Neil appeared together I didn't realise that they had an ongoing connection and I agree it was great to see.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

It could be to do with me becoming more familiar with the participants, but this series seems to get better and better in many ways.

As well as the connection between participants, growing assertiveness, becoming grandparents, and changing health felt like the themes of 49.

49 Up felt like the most self-aware instalment yet, in so many ways. What I particularly enjoyed was the overt recognition that they're part of the series. This film felt like it broke the fourth wall, particularly in the respect that the relationships between the participants and Michael Apted were acknowledged.

The standout moment - for me one of the most powerful of the entire series to date - came when after spending a little time with Jackie, she suddenly went into this impassioned speech dissecting her relationship with the series and with Michael. She spoke about a significant behind-the-scenes disagreement when filming 21 with a specific referral to that scene with the three women in the pub where Jackie spent most of the time hanging her head down, face hidden behind her hair. As well as adding layers to the story behind the story, and almost making me want to go back and rewatch the entire series, it also made me hungry to know more about the making of the series. I dare say some of the participants were difficult at times, but what about Apted himself? I remember way before watching, I read that he'd fallen out with one of the participants after losing his temper and shouting when contacting them to appear in an instalment (on reflection, I think it must have been Charles, but I can't confirm this as I'm avoiding any searches around the series). Was it difficult for him when his reasonably compliant young subjects became young adults with sometimes strong views and perhaps represented an even broader cross-section of society than he'd planned?

Reinforcing Apted's very specific direction, Jackie's fiery diatribe goes on to cover her frustration at the way the programmes are edited to the point that she feels her sections don't accurately represent who she is but instead show who Apted thinks she is (or wants to portray her as). She angrily tells him that 42 should not have focussed so much on what she cannot do due to the arthritis in her hands, but on what she still can do and is doing. She goes on to effectively say that she feels Apted has undermined her and her peers, and not allowed them to grow on screen beyond his vision of them, and she tells him this is where that changes.

It's a winning scene because it feels like it's been a long time coming, and it really brings home that this is something with which participants have lived for over four decades at this point. I doubt any of them can really remember a time before it was part of their lives and indeed, no seven years have gone by without it being so, which means it always was.

Jackie's not the first to venture such an opinion. Suzy has commented on it several times since 14 and in 49 she, too feels like she's reached a literal point of no return, stating that she has every hope this will be her last. I felt sad to hear this, as I've liked her more and more with each instalment and hoped to follow her journey more. I found her reflection that she's grown into someone who is comfortable in her own skin for the first time, and that she's grown up (or words to that effect) quite late in life very touching.

If this is her final film, at least she's had some form of closure with the series, which is more than Charles had. Or Peter who hasn't appeared since 28. I find it very strange that there's been no commentary about his lack of appearances. Apart from some archive footage showing him beside Neil there's been nothing. His name hasn't even been uttered. Did he, too, fall out with Apted. Did he simply not want to return? Or could he not be contacted? Were there professional repercussions from his "school doesn't teach you anything" comments in 28? His sudden invisibility feels like the biggest mystery in the series at this point.

While some members have become more assertive as the films have progressed, it's also fascinating that others have taken the opposite trajectory. After being among the first to challenge the Up concept and the misconceptions it might create back in 14, Andrew and John have mellowed and now simply participate on their own terms. They feel more relaxed with each appearance, and seem to do so on their own terms, which means they have at least a little more say in their own narratives.

I thought it interesting that some participants were becoming grandparents at the same time Bruce became a first-time parent. Perhaps this represents the greater freedoms that this generation had compared with the previous in some areas thanks to improvements in the areas of health and lifespan.

I noted, too, that Paul's depression and questioning his place in life seemed to somehow symbolise the mid-life crisis (for want of a better term). It must have been incredibly difficult for him to seek support for all kinds of reasons, not least that he's a straightforward Aussie bloke, but how wonderful he's so loved and supported by his family. Their visit to London to see Symon was great. Strangely, it felt like they'd been together on-screen quite recently when actually it was 28 years earlier. The gap between 7 and 21 felt larger to me, I suppose because that was the first time they'd connected as adults. Tying in with the ongoing talk of Up connection, Paul, Symon and their wives acknowledged the ties that bind them even when they're apart. It felt simultaneously surreal and perfectly natural. The moment where Paul's wife (whose name I forget) observed that both men had "noisy wives" made me laugh.

As if all of this wasn't meta enough, Tony is now producing a stage play based on his own story. It's typical Tony, of course, but as he acknowledges, the Up series was a significant driving force and selling point for the very concept. And so it continues to not only document lives, but shape them as well.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Last night saw me watch two-thirds of 56 Up.

This seems a period of great stability and relative happiness for everyone so far. So much so that there's very little I feel I want to say about much of it, other than it's always a treat to spend time with them.

At risk of sounding harsh, I'm glad Neil appeared early rather than building up with the same "is Neil still roaming the country?" type blurb we've seen. He continues to be a particularly interesting individual, and it's obvious why there will be interest in his story but, had the episode structure continued it risked making everyone else feel like the appetisers and Neil the main event. It's good to see he's still a Lib Dem councillor and heavily involved in the community tending to others' spiritual needs.

Nick and Suzy made an interesting pair and have been in touch since one of the 40s episodes. But the roots of their connection seem to run deeper. Suzy says Nick was about the only person to whom she felt she could relate when they all got together for 21, so seeds have been planted for a long time. There seemed to be an ease between them that would have been almost unthinkable watching their vasty different lives in 7 and 14. Nick has a little more of a trace of a Mid-Atlantic accent each time he appears, but (pleasingly) far less than most would after living in the States for so long. I'm glad Suzy reconsidered quitting the series. Her comment about feeling loyalty to the series even though she hates it - likening it to reading a bad book to the last page - made sense. Perhaps the most interesting moment came when Nick said he would have worked in the UK in a heartbeat instead of leaving for America if it hadn't been for Thatcher's government having a stranglehold on the universities at the time. Suzy's response was neutral, and it got me wondering about her political stance. Everything about her feels true blue, but she did also have her rebellious phase circa 21 and has spoken about becoming more open minded as she got older. Interesting.

It was very (pleasantly) surprising to see Peter back, not having seen him since 28, half a lifetime ago.

Peter made some of the most politically edgy comments in 28, possibly shooting his budding career in the foot by commenting that most of what kids learn at school is useless and criticising Thatcher's nasty Government.

Peter confirmed he'd not returned since 28 because of the response from the press and the public after his comments. Seems he was given a very hard time. He did leave teaching shortly afterwards, but says it was unrelated. All the same, I'm sure it must have few raised eyebrows among his colleagues. It did irk slightly that his main reason for returning was to plug his band (similar to John's return to promote his charity, but at least that was for a good cause and not self-gain), but having some time to catch up with him was appreciated.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Last night saw me watch two-thirds of 56 Up.

This seems a period of great stability and relative happiness for everyone so far.

Having now watched the first two-thirds of 63 Up, it seems the stability and happiness was short-lived in some cases.

It was really quite a shock to see Nick so ill, and it seems to have taken a toll on him. In his introductory scene I honestly thought for a few moments that the coughing, frail old man was Nick's Dad. Until he started speaking, of course, and his spirit could be heard. With this instalment being just three years old, I'm now very curious to know how things have turned out. I'm going to wait until after watching the final part before doing any searches, though. Perhaps there'll be an update.

Then came the double-whammy, with the update on Lynn in Part 2. I must confess her death wasn't a complete shock. I thought I'd scanned something about her dying earlier on when I was trying to get the participants' names straight in my head, but I clicked straight out and so couldn't have sworn to it. As the various areas of Lynn's life were shown on-screen without a present day update, I started feeling this must be it, but the update becoming a tribute, with input from Lynn's daughters and husband, was very moving indeed.

While other people we've met during the course of the series have died Lynn is the first to go of the main participants. I'll have watched the entire series in just a week or so, but I really feel I've got to know the subjects, and watching someone go from a chatty seven year old feIt who wants to work in Woolworths to a grandmother who works with children herself really is a strange feeling. The series really gets across the sense of loss, and I can imagine how impactful this would be for someone who's followed this series for many years.

In terms of episode structure, the big disappointment regarding Lynn's death is that both Jackie and Sue's updates were shown before the news about Lynn and so neither was shown to comment on Lynn's death. I'm sure they did, but it was presumably not included at that point because it would have detracted from Lynn's update. I'd have preferred a longer, combined update for all three, with Jackie and Sue (ideally together) reflecting on their friendship.

Of Jackie, Lynn and Sue, Lynn was probably the last of the girls that I noticed. She was very low key in her first couple of Ups, probably first getting my attention with her "Christ, what 'ave I done?" comments about her new marriage in 21. I admire how much of her work life she spent giving to others, and watching her interact and bond with the children with learning disabilities was very special.

Having expressed a wish to hear more political views from the participants, that's exactly what I got. Lynn commented on the Government and politicians in 56, (saying that even Labour was moving to the right) while Brexit has been a recurring theme so far in 63. With his vociferous opinions on immigration, Tony has reminded me more of Alf Garnett with each passing instalment, and the most telling reflection on Brexit came from him. Having voted Leave, two years on - with the effects beginning to take hold - even Tony was questioning the wisdom of his vote. Tony probably falls under Peter's observation that many people didn't fully understand what they were voting for.

Each instalment of Up has had reasonably specific motifs, with Michael Apted asking each of the participants their views on a specific theme. Fittingly, since this is the last film made by Apted, 63 feels particularly reflective. After all these years, he's specifically asked each subject how they feel about Seven Up!'s original premise: "Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man." The consensus from participants is that the motto is accurate, most feeling they are fully-formed by that age and are in many ways the same people today that they were when they were seven. With the series finally answering its own question, I feel this is the perfect ending for Apted's vision of Up. Even if the series stops with 63, there is - from what I've seen in these first two parts - at least some sense of closure.

I have just 47 minutes of the series left to watch, and then I'm looking forward to watching the interview with Apted and the special 7 Up & Me feature.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Last night I watched the end of 63 Up, so I've caught up.

Because I watched the last part in isolation - and immediately before the final episode of Neighbours - I must confess that there's little that jumped out at me to comment on, other than to say it's been a beautiful journey.

Reading up a little, I've just realised that the Yorkshire village from which Nick hails is actually Arncliffe, which I visited a couple of years ago (mainly out of soapy curiosity since Emmerdale Farm was shot there in the early days. I had lunch in what was the Woolpack). I did at one point think it looked similar, but quickly dismissed the thought.

It's a beautiful place, and looking back over photos I took at the time I now recognise a couple of the locations from Up scenes.

Incidentally, I've just stumbled upon this article, which interviews six of the participants after Michael Apted's death and asks about the future of the series. Here's Nick's response:

You have to actually go and stand over the gravestone, because you should look at the whole process. If they stop now, that will be the most annoying thing they've ever done, from my point of view, because they would've just abandoned what I thought they were doing. That would be shocking and shameful if they stop now. I would be incensed if they did that. I think that would be incredibly irresponsible. It would make all the humiliation we've gone through over the years meaningless.

 

[Angela Channing]

In some ways I found 63 Up to be the least exciting instalment of the series so far and in other ways it was one of the most interesting. Many of the participants had gotten to a stage in life when things are beginning to wind down and their lives were relatively uneventful since 56 Up. Their updates contained a lot about what their children were doing rather than what they had done but that's to be expected because as people get to that age their focus often shifts more from their work and lives in general to that of the next generation. I also remember there was a bit a chatter in 63 Up about the various ailments and health concerns that the "Uppers" were suffering from; oh the joys of reaching your sixties!.

Neil was one of the exceptions and he continued to live an eventful life becoming a lay preacher and getting married and separated since the previous programme. I can't help wondering if there ever is a 70 Up what further twists there will be to his life.

Inevitably, as the Uppers get older, one by one they will die. Finding out that Lynne had died was a surprise to me but it was interesting to hear her family talk about her so she could still be included significantly in the programme. Hearing Nick speak about his impending death in such a calm and matter of fact way seemed both courageous and shocking. Here was a guy who we have followed for decades and this was probably the last time we would see him alive on camera and that felt really sad but I admired his commitment to the project that he was still happy to contribute in spite of his plight.

Incidentally, I've just stumbled upon this article, which interviews six of the participants after Michael Apted's death and asks about the future of the series. Here's Nick's response:

I've never looked for updates on the Uppers between shows mainly because I've watched most of the shows when they were first broadcast and always assumed that the information in them was probably more or less up to date and in the following years the show would have fallen from my immediate memory so I've not had the need to look up anything that has happened. I felt in 63 Up that Nick's death was imminent, possibly only a few months away, so hearing that he was still alive when Michael Apted died was a nice surprise.

I totally get his view on wanted the series to continue. After all the years he has been sharing his life with viewers I can understand his desire to see the project through to the end. I feel the same way as a viewer and the time I have invested in the series that I want to see the end of their stories and how they navigate old age and what their lives are like in their final years.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

In some ways I found 63 Up to be the least exciting instalment of the series so far and in other ways it was one of the most interesting. Many of the participants had gotten to a stage in life when things are beginning to wind down and their lives were relatively uneventful since 56 Up. Their updates contained a lot about what their children were doing rather than what they had done but that's to be expected because as people get to that age their focus often shifts more from their work and lives in general to that of the next generation.

Yes. I said something similar about 56 Up and I'd say 63 felt more more eventful to me as I watched because the death of one participant and the serious, potentially terminal physical illness of another were things that we hadn't seen them personally face before. I was wrapped up in seeing how the film addressed these.

You're quite right that when I step back and think about it, there was a lot of stuff about the changes in their children's life. I was also surprised that 63 spent a great deal of time showing us clips of Susie through the years only to then tell us that she had opted not to participate in this film. It seems an unusual choice when other participants have either not been mentioned at all or have had only the briefest of mentions when they haven't appeared.

Hearing Nick speak about his impending death in such a calm and matter of fact way seemed both courageous and shocking. Here was a guy who we have followed for decades and this was probably the last time we would see him alive on camera and that felt really sad but I admired his commitment to the project that he was still happy to contribute in spite of his plight.

It was up there as one of the most powerful interviews in the series for me. As you said, the series has followed him for a long time - 56 years at this point - and it's hard not to think of the happy-go-lucky boy who doesn't "answer questions like that"; the passionate young nuclear physicist and the energetic, fun-loving university professor, which makes it all the more poignant.

I've never looked for updates on the Uppers between shows mainly because I've watched most of the shows when they were first broadcast and always assumed that the information in them was probably more or less up to date and in the following years the show would have fallen from my immediate memory so I've not had the need to look up anything that has happened.

That makes sense. For me, now that I'm up-to-date with the films I'm enjoying the freedom of finally being able to run a couple of little searches on the series' background without worrying about spoilers.

I felt in 63 Up that Nick's death was imminent, possibly only a few months away, so hearing that he was still alive when Michael Apted died was a nice surprise.

Yes, I must admit that he's the only Upper whose name I searched for specifically to see if he was OK and I, too, was pleased to know he was giving an interview after Apted's death because (at risk of sounding ghoulish) I'd braced myself for an obituary.

I totally get his view on wanted the series to continue. After all the years he has been sharing his life with viewers I can understand his desire to see the project through to the end. I feel the same way as a viewer and the time I have invested in the series that I want to see the end of their stories and how they navigate old age and what their lives are like in their final years.

Earlier on in my watch I was a little doubtful that the series should continue without Michael Apted, but more and more I'm appreciating that the project has become its own animal. In one of the last ones (I think it was 56 or 63, and I'm fairly sure it was Nick), it was commented that the series is bigger than the participants themselves. And now I can fully understand that perhaps it's also bigger than Apted.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Last night I watched some of the bonus features on the Up discs.

7 Up & Me wasn't what I'd expected. I didn't read any blurb about it, so I'd expected it to be the participants speaking about the series. Instead it was talking heads of "celebs" (as usual mostly people you'd long forgotten or people you'd never heard of to begin with) speaking about their relationship with the series. Some seemed to be genuine fans, while others seemed far less so.

It had the low-rent feel of a Channel 5 thing, but was presumably made by Granada as they wheeled out the usual suspects from that stable: Bill Roache and Rula Lenska (they came as one unit); Matthew Kelly; the one who was on Corrie for five minutes before moving on up to Loose Women and The Celebrity Chase; the flamboyant comedian; the one best-known for marrying high profile pop stars and actors; Eamon Holmes; Lord Sebastian Coe; Eamon Holmes; Even Boris Johnson's father (this was filmed before allegations of spousal abuse and spanking female colleagues came to light).

The celebs wave pictures of their young selves at 7, 14 and 21 at the camera with most talking through their lives, some frequently becoming tearful as they shared their painful memories with the camera. We see them watching scenes from the series, emoting with self-conscious intensity: smiling; wiping away tears (which they ensure the cameraman captures in close-up) and even speaking to the characters on screen. I appreciate that watching Up does invite the audience's reflection on their own lives and thinking about our own lives in terms of those seven year cycles can be a fascinating experience (and yes, not always a painless one), but the fact is that the film is ostensibly about the Uppers, but ends up being a veiled excuse for the celebs to promote their own stories of perseverance, survival and true grit. I found this aspect incredibly indulgent.

It wasn't without its interest. In some cases, much of their interest in the series does seem genuine. Seb Coe draws an interesting parallel with his own story and Tony's infamous go on the track with Lester Piggott, wondering what his own path might have been had he not enjoyed such success early in his running career. But it's definitely one for either hardcore Up fans or those particularly interested in any of the celebs.


The Michael Apted interviews were more interesting. Even though it was just a dry, talking head, he speaks well and really got across the exciting energy at Granada and the then fledgling ITV. He talks about his time on Corrie and The Lovers. His symbiotic working relationship with Jack Rosenthal. His faux pas directing a live news programme where he forgot to place the sound man and ended up transmitting a silent report. He mentions a gritty crime series called Big Breadwinner Hog on which he directed, which contained levels of violence never seen in a tv series before (the first episode featured an acid attack) and which drew in complaints for its graphic violence and amorality. Naturally, it's now on my radar.

And he talks about Up: How it was only ever meant to be one film. How the powers that be really thought he wouldn't return to it every seven years once he had huge success and moved to America. How he was willing to be the bad guy for the sake of such an important document (refusing, for instance, to edit out something a participant regretted saying).

He also speaks a little about the process, with Uppers contacted late summer the year prior to the next film, the films shot early in the year to usually air in late spring or early summer.

With my current thirst for all things Up, this hit the spot nicely. It's a shame there wasn't more about the participants, but I suppose everything we need to know is in the films themselves. Which means I'll have to be patient and wait four years for 70 Up.

 

[Angela Channing]

7 Up & Me wasn't what I'd expected. I didn't read any blurb about it, so I'd expected it to be the participants speaking about the series. Instead it was talking heads of "celebs" (as usual mostly people you'd long forgotten or people you'd never heard of to begin with) speaking about their relationship with the series. Some seemed to be genuine fans, while others seemed far less so.

If I remember correctly, this follow up show was originally screened on ITV the evening after when 63 Up was first shown. Like you I thought the "& Me" in the title was the Uppers talking about their thoughts on the series and the impact it had on their lives. However, when I saw teaser for the show and realised it was something completely different to what I thought I didn't bother to watch it. Had I realised Michael Apted was interviewed about how the show was made I would have been prepared to sit through the thoughts of Rula Lenska to see that. I might head over to ITV Hub to watch it sometime.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Had I realised Michael Apted was interviewed about how the show was made I would have been prepared to sit through the thoughts of Rula Lenska to see that. I might head over to ITV Hub to watch it sometime.

I might have misled you a little by grouping them all in together, but I don't think Michael Apted does appear in 7 Up & Me.

There are two additional little features on the Blu-ray. One is Michael Apted At Granada and the other is called It Was Only Ever Going To Be One Film. Those two have the in-depth interviews with Michael, with the latter being specifically about Up (the title of the feature is a line spoken by Apted during the interview). Unfortunately, neither of them appears to be on ITV Hub or YouTube.

 

[Angela Channing]

I might have misled you a little by grouping them all in together, but I don't think Michael Apted does appear in 7 Up & Me.

There are two additional little features on the Blu-ray. One is Michael Apted At Granada and the other is called It Was Only Ever Going To Be One Film. Those two have the in-depth interviews with Michael, with the latter being specifically about Up (the title of the feature is a line spoken by Apted during the interview). Unfortunately, neither of them appears to be on ITV Hub or YouTube.

I misread your post. Well at least I can avoid sitting through hearing the words of wisdom of Rula Lenska and Eamonn Holmes while waiting for an interview with Mr Apted.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Well at least I can avoid sitting through hearing the words of wisdom of Rula Lenska and Eamonn Holmes while waiting for an interview with Mr Apted.

I'm glad to have spared you that, at least.

 

[Angela Channing]

Tony Walker aka 7Up Tony was part of the Coronation Choir which sang for the King at the concert at Windsor Castle last night. If there is ever a 70Up, I think this story will be featured.

Verifying Device

 

[Angela Channing]

Just in case there is ever is a 70 Up, I'll put this news in a spoiler wrap:

Spoiler

Sadly, we have lost another Upper, Nick has died. His life, along with the others in the 7 Up documentary series, have been essential viewing for me since I starting watching the series decades ago so it feels a bit like the loss of an old school friend who I haven't seen for many years,.

In 63 Up I remember him looking and speaking like his death was imminent but it seems like he fended off the Grim Reaper for a few more years

Nicholas Hitchon Dies: British Farm Boy Whose Life Was Chronicled In ‘Up’ Documentary Series Was 65

Nicholas Hitchon, whose life was chronicled in the British Up documentary films from 1964 to 2019, died July 23.

deadline.com

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Spoiler: Response to Angela's post above

Oh, that's really sad news.

In 63 Up I remember him looking and speaking like his death was imminent

Yes. I've thought about him quite a few times since my recent watch of the series. A lot can happen in seven years and in some of the instalments I was pleasantly surprised when those who seemed headed for disaster (like Neil) turned things around. I didn't rule out the possibility of Nick getting his own miracle, and I'm saddened this wasn't the case. 65 is far too young to die.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

It was confirmed last year ITV will be screening 70 Up in 2026, now directed by Richard Denton. I can't find specifics though.

I'm very glad it's continuing, though I wonder how dynamics will be affected by Michael Apted's death since he had built up over half a century of trust with the participants.

 

[Angela Channing]

It was confirmed last year ITV will be screening 70 Up in 2026, now directed by Richard Denton. I can't find specifics though.

I'm very glad it's continuing, though I wonder how dynamics will be affected by Michael Apted's death since he had built up over half a century of trust with the participants.

This is great news and I have a feeling Michael Apted would be happy that a series he created over half a century ago will live on even though he is no longer with us.

However, I did find the last instalment to be the least interesting of run as the life of many of the Uppers had slowed down and for many of them not a lot had happened in the intervening years. It's still always fascinating to catch up with them, like meeting old friends after not seeing them for a long time.

 

[Angela Channing]

Sadly, but maybe appropriately as 70 is a nice round number and it will be a tribute to Michael Apted, the next instalment of the series will be the last.

‘Greatest series ever’ ending after 62 years

The show has been hailed as a distinctive landmark piece of filmmaking

www.independent.co.uk