70 Up - ITV teaser for "later this year"

[Rostio]

This looks fabulous!

My favourites Neil, Symon and Bruce are mentioned, Suzy and Charles return to the programme and tributes to the lovely Nick, Lynn and of course Michael Apted.

Placemark here for sharing the latest news?

I was so happy Bruce got married and had children.

Yes Bruce is a lovely man. Him and Neil made friends through the series and he helped Neil get back on his feet when he was homeless. You could tell from his childhood he had a privileged start but he had a lot of empathy for those less fortunate.

He was so posh when he was a little boy and his school days looked so cruel but, even then, he talked about helping the poor. He is a really good man although his health wasn't looking too great at 63, I hope he's still going strong.

It was upsetting seeing Nick so ill and worrying about the loved ones he'll leave behind.

It just seemed to be IN him from day one. Did he say his father was a missionary or am I imagining that ?

I'm a bit behind. I'm only ready to start 56.

I've got a vague recollection of that.

It takes us back to the old nature v nurture debate, doesn't it ? Your inherited characteristics.

Bruce's dad was a missionary I believe.

I've watched all the catch-up programmes now. There's a lot from 63 up I don't remember so maybe I missed it. I still feel sad about Neil's mental health problems but it does seem he has managed to maintain social connections with his amateur dramatics and now being a lay preacher.

I'm a similar age to them.
Fascinating programme. Tony the cheeky taxi driver - humble beginnings 'wasn't it a children's home?' - and so happy and successful in life. Pulling himself up with his bootstraps - is there opportunities like that now , not really. Maybe just for SM influencers.
And the terrible terribly posh accents have gone now. Except in the odd old eccentric nowadays.

Tony the cheeky taxi driver - humble beginnings 'wasn't it a children's home? No, it was Peter and Symon in the children's home.

Peter went to Australia and became a builder. Symon was very lacking in ambition, interestingly, he said he was ok if someone told him what to do . They both said they lacked confidence as a result of their upbringing in the Home but both married strong women which worked out. Symon and his wife became foster parents and did a lot of good there.

I'm looking forward to 70 up.

I think I've watched them all since 35 Up, which I saw with my mum when I was a teenager. The 1960s setting of the first episode seemed like ancient history then - it's odd to think it was closer to 35 Up than we are now. One of the great joys as a long-term viewer is changing and growing up just as the characters have, and the differing perspectives that gives you.

Suzy stepped out for a couple of episodes and I remember her saying that being involved had been quite traumatic, as every 7 years it forced her, and all the viewers of the series, to confront the trauma of her teenage years when her parents had divorced and she was really miserable. I really felt for her - I'd have hated to be publicly memorialised for ever as a 14 and 21 year old.

The 1960s setting of the first episode seemed like ancient history

Haha! I'm a year older than them so that was my era. I don't think any of them had a similar background to me though. I was probably something in between Peter and Neil (pleasamt suburb)and the East End girls (parents had no Higher Education)..I grew up in a New Town which could have been in an interesting category of its own as there was, at that time, quite a mixture of people including many moved from the East End of London with jobs and good housing for all.

Duplicate post.

Seeing the fashions really takes you back too 😂

Just watched 63 up in anticipation. I’ve watched since 21 up. I do wish there were more women. I think we were short changed there.

Also all English.

I think they have made a sensible decision to make this a last one, agree will be interesting and emotional.

Symon was mixed race and John was half Bulgarian although all were brought up in a 'traditional ' English environment. Or did you mean as opposed to Scottish or Welsh? I suppose there were reasons for their decisions which might have been different in 2026 rather than 1963.

At least one of the girls quite forcefully objected to the questions they were being asked. It is odd that there were 3 girls from the same school in the East End and one upper class girl - a wider range might have been better. Also groups of the boys were from the same schools. I expect they had their reasons but I don't know what they were.

Yes that is what I meant.

Yes, as you have said above, they were never very representative. I didn't closely relate to any of the girls - but, somehow, they became part of us. In retrospect, it feels like a US take on this country - toffs and Cockneys. The important thing being that we are all people and this is what happened to our people. I was genuinely upset when I read that Nick had died.

It wasn’t considered interesting enough to follow girls because they’d all go on to get married, have children and run a household, whatever their class background.

Most likely. My own background (lower middle class, aspirational parents) wasn't represented at all. These girls of my generation were more likely to go on to be, perhaps, the first in their family to go to university, the first women in their family to have a career. Perhaps in 1963 the producers weren't expecting that to happen.

I went to a state High School ( nearly the same age) and girls were directed to teacher training colleges or University but no thought then to careers or the subject matter. At Uni I shared with 3 other girls who had all been at private schools - architecture, medicine and science. None of these things had ever been touted as a possibility. It just wasn't expected of working class girls.

There’s interviews in today’s Sunday Times with seven of the participants. I almost wish I hadn’t read the interviews, but couldn’t help myself.