The Up series has been unique in television history. It started in 1964 where it looked at a cross section of 7 years old. Granada television have followed them every seven years from childhood and now to old age. All of the shows were shown on ITV apart from 42 Up which was broadcast on the BBC.
I have only watched it from 28 Up when it was shown in 1985. I was a teenager then, being 28 years old felt some time away for me.
Now the participants are 63 years old. I feel it is only a few short years to go before I am 63.
One participant Lynn Johnson has died since 56 Up was shown. Nicholas Hitchon the Yorkshire farmer's boy who grew up to be a nuclear physicist in America sadly has throat cancer. I always found Nick to be one of the more interesting people in the Up series. He had an abrasive relationship with the show, at times he felt the snippets broadcast misrepresented him. However he continued to appear because of some sense of duty.
This is likely to be his final appearance. Nick mentioned he was at Oxford University at the same time as the British Prime Minister Theresa May who stepped down a Tory leader when this program was initially broadcast. Nick mentions how easy it was for a strata of society from the right public schools continue to run the country. It is questionable if they are actually fit run the country. Even from America, Nick could observe the incompetence of the ruling elite.
Cheeky cockney Tony Walker wanted to be a jockey and ended up as a black cab taxi driver, a bit part actor and a budding entrepreneur. His business ideas never came to much and his cab business has been hit by Uber. Tony had a holiday home in Spain and planned to develop property in Spain as well. So not much of a surprise that he voted for Brexit. In 56 Up he can be heard having a rant at immigrants in London but he himself was happy to partly reside in Spain.
Bruce Balden was a public schoolboy who really hated his time there. He ended up as a teacher in a deprived part of London and even went to teach in a poorer country. Although not mentioned in any of the Up shows, it was Bruce who reached out to another participant Neil Hughes when he hit a rough patch.
John Brigsby was another public schoolboy and the poshest of the lot. He does like to add that he is more Bulgarian than British. He also adds that after his father died when he was a child, his mother had to struggle to make ends meet but managed to pay the public school fees. John became a successful barrister, he has been a part time judge and continues his charitable endeavors in Bulgaria. He does think that Britain has become more egalitarian but even his fellow public schoolboys are hard pushed to agree with him. Andrew Brackfield thinks fame or money is now regarded as more important.
The women in the series have always been short changed. Something Jacqueline Bassett raised with the interviewer Michael Apted as he always asked them about family and relationship questions rather than the state of the world. In 63 Up one female contributor decided not to take part and as mentioned one has died. So it appears even more male dominated.
Neil Hughes was the ebullient boy from Liverpool who wanted to be an astronaut at 7 years of age. By the age of 21 he was living in a squat and working on a building site. At the age of 28 Neil was in a bad place, homeless and mentally unstable. The program always keeps him till last knowing the audience wants to know what has happened to him.
Over time life has gone better for Neil, he has been a Liberal Democratic councillor, a lay preacher, he has married but since separated from his wife. He still gets regular visits by the black dog. Mental illness is also touched on by Tony whose daughter suffers from it.
This might be the last time Michael Apted takes part in this series as he has been involved with it since 7 Up. I have no doubts that if 70 Up is broadcast a few less people will participate as old age takes it toll. It is still a fascinating series.
I have only watched it from 28 Up when it was shown in 1985. I was a teenager then, being 28 years old felt some time away for me.
Now the participants are 63 years old. I feel it is only a few short years to go before I am 63.
One participant Lynn Johnson has died since 56 Up was shown. Nicholas Hitchon the Yorkshire farmer's boy who grew up to be a nuclear physicist in America sadly has throat cancer. I always found Nick to be one of the more interesting people in the Up series. He had an abrasive relationship with the show, at times he felt the snippets broadcast misrepresented him. However he continued to appear because of some sense of duty.
This is likely to be his final appearance. Nick mentioned he was at Oxford University at the same time as the British Prime Minister Theresa May who stepped down a Tory leader when this program was initially broadcast. Nick mentions how easy it was for a strata of society from the right public schools continue to run the country. It is questionable if they are actually fit run the country. Even from America, Nick could observe the incompetence of the ruling elite.
Cheeky cockney Tony Walker wanted to be a jockey and ended up as a black cab taxi driver, a bit part actor and a budding entrepreneur. His business ideas never came to much and his cab business has been hit by Uber. Tony had a holiday home in Spain and planned to develop property in Spain as well. So not much of a surprise that he voted for Brexit. In 56 Up he can be heard having a rant at immigrants in London but he himself was happy to partly reside in Spain.
Bruce Balden was a public schoolboy who really hated his time there. He ended up as a teacher in a deprived part of London and even went to teach in a poorer country. Although not mentioned in any of the Up shows, it was Bruce who reached out to another participant Neil Hughes when he hit a rough patch.
John Brigsby was another public schoolboy and the poshest of the lot. He does like to add that he is more Bulgarian than British. He also adds that after his father died when he was a child, his mother had to struggle to make ends meet but managed to pay the public school fees. John became a successful barrister, he has been a part time judge and continues his charitable endeavors in Bulgaria. He does think that Britain has become more egalitarian but even his fellow public schoolboys are hard pushed to agree with him. Andrew Brackfield thinks fame or money is now regarded as more important.
The women in the series have always been short changed. Something Jacqueline Bassett raised with the interviewer Michael Apted as he always asked them about family and relationship questions rather than the state of the world. In 63 Up one female contributor decided not to take part and as mentioned one has died. So it appears even more male dominated.
Neil Hughes was the ebullient boy from Liverpool who wanted to be an astronaut at 7 years of age. By the age of 21 he was living in a squat and working on a building site. At the age of 28 Neil was in a bad place, homeless and mentally unstable. The program always keeps him till last knowing the audience wants to know what has happened to him.
Over time life has gone better for Neil, he has been a Liberal Democratic councillor, a lay preacher, he has married but since separated from his wife. He still gets regular visits by the black dog. Mental illness is also touched on by Tony whose daughter suffers from it.
This might be the last time Michael Apted takes part in this series as he has been involved with it since 7 Up. I have no doubts that if 70 Up is broadcast a few less people will participate as old age takes it toll. It is still a fascinating series.