ITV's groundbreaking 7 Up documentary series has begun its final season after 63 years. The show started by following the lives of 10 boys and four girls in England when they were seven years old, and has returned every seven years since. 'It's the Bayeux tapestry of TV!' After six decades, the seminal series bows out with 70 Up. As the final season, 70 Up, comes to an end, seven people tell us what it has meant to them over the decades, along with photos of themselves contrasting how they look now with their childhood selves. 'Life is a sum of experience, even if seemingly mundane.' Judith Barton. Photograph: Guardian Community. Judith Barton, aged seven. Photograph: Guardian Community. The sadness of Suzy as a teenager and seeing her become more content and confident was a standout moment. So was Bruce becoming a "missionary" in his own way by teaching. And, of course, Neil, whose life has often been troubled but is probably the most interesting. It has been a privilege to compare myself with the participants and look at my own journey. It has made me realise that life, whether you're rich or poor, is a sum of experience, even if seemingly mundane. In many ways, it's not education or privilege that makes life interesting, but what you do with opportunities as they present themselves. The most engaging characters have been those who have challenged themselves, pursued an ambition, or had difficulties to overcome. Judith Barton, 69, Surrey. 'Deeply moving.' Sheila Lambe. Photograph: Guardian Community. Sheila Lambe, aged seven. Photograph: Guardian Community. That Neil, who was the most adorable, magical-thinking seven-year-old, would have mental health crises had a deeply moving effect on me. His challenge was one that could have affected any of the participants, regardless of class and background. And Nick achieved so much despite relatively humble beginnings but gave one of the most impactful statements – that the birth of his son was his greatest moment. As the series progressed, it seemed that the real measure of success was not academic or material achievements after all, but familial love and finding peace. Sheila Lambe, 63, Scotland. 'The series fired my imagination.' Martin Forsey. Photograph: Guardian Community. Martin Forsey on his first day of school. Photograph: Guardian Community. It was Bruce I related to most. His disposition, his search for meaning. I was an overseas volunteer and related strongly to his search for local connections later in his life. Different, but the same. The series changed my life. I first encountered it through a sociology of education class, as part of a graduate diploma I was studying part-time in the evenings while working as a science teacher. I was from a working-class background and had no idea what sociology was when I left school. The Up series fired my sociological imagination; I retrained and became a sociologist and anthropologist because of it. It was exciting in the ways it helped explain myself to myself, as well as the broader world in which I lived. My research focused on education and I have written a number of papers focused on the structural and cultural effects of class on life trajectories and the choices people make. Martin Forsey, 65, Fremantle, Western Australia. 'The best TV series ever.' Shirley. Photograph: Guardian Community. Shirley, aged seven. Photograph: Guardian Community. I've watched the whole series. It resonated with me because I am of a similar age. I was not surprised to see that the girls seem to have a lesser part, with emphasis during interviews on their roles as wives and mothers, rather than their careers. I experienced the same kind of thing. I think the teenage years showed a lot of vulnerability in girls who wanted to appear grown up to the world. I beI believe it is the best TV series ever. It shows how times have changed from the 1960s to now, and how a person's life progresses. I think it should be repeated in full every seven years, with tributes to those involved who have passed away. Shirley, 68, London
'Unexpectedly overwhelming'
Lyle Jackson. Photograph: Caitlin Steva/Guardian Community
Lyle Jackson, aged seven. Photograph: Guardian Community
Watching 70 Up has been unexpectedly overwhelming. I have found myself crying after almost every scene. Over the past three years, I have lost several close friends and family members, so grief is always close to the surface. The series brings back not only the years that have passed, but also what was lost, what lasted and what was learned along the way. When I started watching in 1975, documentaries were almost unheard of on commercial television in the US. It was intimate, patient and honest about ordinary lives. It showed that a person's story could unfold slowly, with all its disappointments, contradictions, resilience and surprise.
That recognition changed the course of my life. I became a documentary photographer and producer, winning 18 regional Emmys. My work has often focused on people who were overlooked, marginalised or simply not often given the space to be seen. Documentary work kept me grounded through hard periods in my own life. I will always be grateful for what the series gave me: a belief that ordinary lives are never ordinary when someone has the patience and compassion to keep looking. Lyle Jackson, 72, Nashville, Tennessee
'As I grow older, I identify with the participants more and more'
Khalid Dajani. Photograph: Guardian Community
Khalid Dajani, aged seven. Photograph: Guardian Community
I most identify with Paul, who is first seen at the foster home and builds a family of his own with his lovely wife in sunny Australia, while remaining the sensitive, gentle and intelligent boy he was when we first saw him in 1964. He struggled with self-confidence, even though there was no obvious reason for it, and bravely acknowledged it as an ongoing issue. I would have liked to have been his friend, if I had been a seven-year-old there with him back in 1964.
I first heard of the series about eight years ago, through a Roger Ebert book in which he called it the best documentary he had ever seen. I watched all the episodes on YouTube over two weeks, just in time for the 2019 release, and it was amazing to see the children grow into middle age. By pure luck, I also got a chance to see [the now late director] Michael Apted and his wife in Dubai, who were there for a movie showing at that time. As I grow older, I identify with the participants more and more, while also noticing what different lives we all lead but with the same shared core of wanting to spend our limited time as best we can. If only we knew how. Khalid Dajani, 54, Dubai
'I became a documentary film-maker in my 20s and the 7 Up films set a gold standard'
Alan Reich. Photograph: Guardian Community
Alan Reich, aged seven. Photograph: Guardian Community
In 1970, when I was seven, my brother and I went to a Jewish summer camp. I cried for the first few nights, missing my parents and home. In the first week, the original 7 Up film was shown on a noisy film projector, and I sat transfixed, watching these other seven-year-olds from such a different world to my sheltered religious Jewish bubble. I continued to seek out the following films wherever I lived and catch up with these familiar children, who were like friends always seven years ahead of me on my own life journey. With the edits back to their younger selves, I could understand how the little boy and girl can still be seen in that grown-up. I became a documentary film-maker in my 20s, and the 7 Up films set a gold standard for me to have a deeper connection with interviewees, and where possible maintain contact with them.
InIn 2018, at the Sheffield Documentary Festival, I met Michael Apted and told him that the 7 Up films had inspired me to become a documentary filmmaker. With the intense, probing style I recognized from those films, he shot back: "And how is that going for you?" The truth is that by then my film career had fizzled out, and I had retrained as a psychotherapist. I am now 63 and still enjoy the deeper connection with people, helping them explore and shed light on how our past continues to play out in our adult lives. Alan Reich, 63, London
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs I Cry After Almost Every Scene How 7 Up Has Affected Your Lives
Beginner Questions
What is 7 Up
Its a British documentary series that began in 1964 It follows the same group of people every seven years starting when they were seven years old The latest instalment is 63 Up
Why do I cry after almost every scene
Because youre watching real people grow up age and face lifes ups and downs It feels personal even if youve never met them
Is it normal to cry while watching 7 Up
Yes Many viewers say the same thing The series is famous for making people emotional
What is the Up series exactly
A collection of films 7 Up 14 Up 21 Up and so on up to 63 Up Each one checks in on the same participants
Who made it
It started with director Paul Almond and researcher Michael Apted Apted directed most of the later films
What was the original idea behind it
To test the Jesuit saying Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man It looked at how social class shapes life chances
Do I need to watch it in order
It helps but you can start anywhere Watching in order makes the emotional impact stronger
How long is each episode
Roughly 1 to 25 hours depending on the instalment
Where can I watch it
Its available on various streaming services and on DVDBluray depending on your country
Is it suitable for children
Older teens can watch it but younger kids may find it slow or confusing The themes are adult
Advanced Questions
Why does the series hit so hard emotionally
Because you literally watch lives unfold in sevenyear jumps You see dreams failures illness and death Its like a mirror held up to your own life
What are the main themes
Social class education marriage career health regret resilience and the passage of time
Has the series changed how people see their own lives
Many viewers say yes It makes them reflect on their own choices privileges and mortality
