'56 up (7up) due in 2012

[YuleingFanjo]

Anyone else really looking forward to this?

I always remember, of course, the guy who was living in the scottish islands but then became a politician.

I am 7 years younger than the participants so obviously can't remember the first one but I think I do remember seeing some of the 14-up programme the first time it was on and certainly the 21-up and then have watched them all since then.

I sort of didn't expect another after the 49 up because you assume people won;t change that much after a certain age. However, I read an interview with Michael Apsted and he said he never intends to give up on it (though he is 76 now!) I am glad they did another one though. It struck me last night that all the ones we have seen so far are happier and more fulfilled at 56 then they were at 28.

I think I read that there are 14 participants still

13 of the original 14 are back for 56 UP. Charles hasn?t been in it since he appeared in 21 UP. He was one of the ?posh kids? as they are most commonly known. I think it?s a shame he hasn?t carried on as I?d like to see what he?s up to, but he obviously has his reasons. Was glad to see Peter had returned in last night?s episode.

I think it?s on again at the same time next Monday. Looking forward to next week?s very much. I think next week?s has Nick on it; he was the lovely Yorkshire lad who went on to be a Professor in America. Am also glad to see Suzy has returned, as she did say in 49 UP that she didn?t think she?d be back again, as she didn?t like the intrusion on her family but she?s obviously changed her mind!

What a great bit of telly that was last night. Poor Neil is the one everyone wants to hear about. I thought it was so sad when he was asked about relationships, and he said that he had never walked away from one, meaning that he had always been the one that was left. My heart breaks for him.

Does anyone know when the next part is?

I feel so upset by Neil, he seems so sad still, so vunerable. I think his life has happy moments but he is a troubled soul. I wonder what he writes, if it's any good?

The guy who moved to Australia has always been so lovely yet also somehow damaged.

really looking forward to seeing Bruce, last time he had married and had two kids. Loved his no nonsense wife. Also can't wait to see the guy from Yorkshire who went to America. I always had a bit of a crush on him.

It does make me think about where I was at different parts of my life.

I've always loved this. I watched 14 UP as a 12 year old so I really love to see how the working class girls are getting on. The shots of them sitting in a row in their school uniforms could have been me.
I agree Sue looks amazing and has done really well for herself.

Have the BBC done a similar series with babies born in 2000?

I loved watching this last night. I think the 14up episode must have been the first one I saw, but I watched them all on you tube. They first one was filmed in the year I was born!

I agree, Sue looked fantastic - hope I look that good when I'm 56! And she has done so well in both her personal and work life. Infact it was very reassuring and heart-warming to see that they all seemed to be happy with their lives, and especially to see that Neil seems more settled than he has since the 7up episodes. I felt so bad for him from 21up to 42up - he was such a bright, engaging little boy - really full of fun and happiness, or at least that's how it looked. I also wondered whether he might have been diagnosed Aspergers, or whether it is purely a mental health issue. Either way, he seems to have found a way of managing himself which is great.

DF, I think the next episode is Monday 21st.

I thought Neil seems more at peace with himself and has become more settled.

I'm looking forward to catching up with Tony 'I want to be a jockey' who became a London cabbie as he had such a positive, happy attitude.

It's a fascinating series.

Oh yes, Tony was such a fab 7 year old - full of fun and confidence. Clearly came from a very loving family.

I like the one who came from the farm too (Nick?) - his life is millions of miles away from his childhood! And looking forward to seeing the other 2 girls out of the 3. Infact, looking forward to seeing them all!

It must have been all the harder for Tony, having declared to the nation that he wanted to be a jockey, only to not achieve his goal.

Yes, but he is a successful cabbie - riding around London in a cab instead of on a horse!

Glad I found this, I am totally devoted to this series. Watched all of 7Up, 14Up, 21 Up and 28 Up at New Year 1982 at a friend of a friend's flat who happened to have them all on tape. Totally addicted ever since. Am feeling cheated this time by how short the visits are - 10 mins is not nearly enough to catch up with them!

I also found Sue deeply inspiring. It struck me she is a very strong optimist - at every point she has not regretted her decisions, but got on with where she is and made the most of it. She seems very happy, very settled. I also agree, Neil seems to be better than in any of the last few programmes, has been on an up since 42 Up.

Very much hope to see more of Suzy, she was another transformation after being such a horribly sad 14 and 21 year old.

Gutted at the BBC not investing over the last couple of years in child of our time, I am fascinated by those children and the insights the programmes have given into how personalities develop.

Tony did become a jockey though! He did finish last but rode alongside Lester Piggott

Was this the first reality show in this country?

I find it fascinating. It's interesting to see those children who maybe did not have the best start like little sad Paul, go on to have happy lives. He clearly is quite a shy man who says he suffers from low self esteem but he has such a lovely relationship with his wife.

I just feel sad for Neil. I know he is busy in his community and lives in a beautiful place but he just seems so solitary and lonely.
You can never predict how your life will go.

Actually I think that overall this film shows how predictable life is according to the circumstances you are born into. The rich kids have stayed rich, the poor kids have stayed relatively poor.
The women's lives were held back by children, divorce and disability.

The DCs of the rich kids are having more opportunities than the DCs of the others.

There was a stark class divide in England in 1964 and it still exists today.

Margery - i think that's only partially true. More it shows a shift towards the middle class. Tony, for example, Michael Apted thought at 21 would end up in prison and he now owns 2 homes and clearly is comfortably off. And Paul, who was in a childrens home when we met him, doesn't have a fortune but his daughter has found herself a job on the other side of the world, they can afford to come and visit her, etc.

Clearly there has been a big impact of class, but I don't think it's as simple as the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. What it certainly shows is the devastating impact of mental illness (neil) and long term disability (Jackie).

I agree.
Sue for instance. has ended up in an important job. Is it Sue? Definite shift to the middle class.

I was looking at it in more terms of personal happiness than class or money
.
As everyone said, Neil seemed so vibrant and happy as a child, it is cruel to see how much of that seems to have been robbed from him, in a way.

Agree with thaliablogs. There has been upward mobility shown in this programme.

Sue left school with no qualifications, got a part time job as a single mum,doing admin and is now incharge and runs the whole department she started off in.

This telegraph article is very interesting - says apted feels they missed the middle class component almost entirely, and also under represented women.

Totally agree that there has been upward mobility and I also was not really thinking in terms of that - more in terms of personal happiness.
It doesn't seem that the rich children have had particularly happier lives than the ones from poorer backgrounds.

And look at Tony - came from a very financially impoverished home, but has gone on to have a good job, own 2 homes, bring up a large family - even if you don't think that he has "moved-up" socially, it is quite likely that his children would consider themselves middle-class, as might Sue's and Paul's.

Neil's health seems better in 56up or is that just because medical treatment has improved? He seems such a lovely intelligent guy it makes me sad to see how life has turned out for him.

Yes, his skin looked better and he looked less hunched - maybe it is the treatment, but he seemed to be saying that he was managing his "conditon" himself. Whatever the reason it was good to see him more relaxed and settled.

I didn't think Neil seemed relaxed at all, I thought he seemed quite bitter about things. Possibly his illness but he still seemed to be hanging on to this idea that he should have been someone important.

imperial although I saw it at home, our sociology lecturer also showed the first three to us (they were the only ones that had been made then ....showing age!) Perhaps it was your ex??!!

DH also got shown the first two at school back in the 70s. He is 50 now.

my dh is 56 in August - it's so wierd watching the little 7 year olds and imagining him like that