The stories of the 14 participants and Apted may get a fresh start, as Lewis explains: “What I’d like to do now, since we have the footage, is create hour-long films about each person.”
She is seeking funding from universities or media outlets for these new edits, which will highlight the individual journeys of the participants and illustrate how both television conventions and society have evolved over time.
As Jo Clinton-Davis, ITV’s factual controller, puts it, the Up series is like the Bayeux tapestry, with everyone involved feeling the duty of “caring for this incredibly important piece of history.”
“It kind of belongs to all of us,” she said.
70 Up airs at 9pm on 15 September on ITV1 and ITVX. All earlier episodes of the Up series are available to stream on ITVX in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the end of the Up series written in a natural conversational tone
Frequently Asked Questions The End of the Up Series
1 What is the Up series
Its a landmark British documentary series that has followed the lives of a group of people since they were seven years old Every seven years filmmakers check in with them to see how their lives have changed
2 Why is it called the Bayeux tapestry of TV
Thats a famous quote from creator Michael Apted Like the tapestry the series is a long detailed piece of stitching that tells the story of everyday life in Britain over a massive span of time Its a unique historical record
3 Is 70 Up really the last one
Yes the makers have confirmed that 70 Up is the final installment in the series They feel its the natural conclusion to the project
4 Why are they stopping
The participants are getting older and the logistics and emotional toll of filming become more challenging The filmmakers also feel that they have reached a point where they can finally look back and sum up a complete life arc
5 Do I need to watch the previous episodes to understand 70 Up
Not necessarily While its much richer if you have 70 Up is designed to recap the participants stories showing clips from their past to bring you up to speed It works as both a finale for longtime fans and a summary for newcomers
6 What happens to the participants after this
Thats a big question The series ends but their lives obviously continue The filmmakers have said they will leave them to live their lives privately now away from the cameras
7 Who are the people in the documentary
They are a diverse group of 14 British men and women from different social and economic backgrounds They were originally chosen to represent the countrys class system in the 1960s
8 What is the main point of the series
The original tagline was Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man The series explores how much our childhood shapes our future looking at class ambition relationships and happiness
9 Is the show still relevant today
Absolutely
