70 Up has returned to ITV for one final time, as the groundbreaking social experiment reaches its final chapter and viewers are left in tears
ITV viewers have revealed they were left ‘heartbroken’ and in tears as a groundbreaking social experiment that has lasted over 60 years came to an end.
On Tuesday, 16 September, the first of two instalments of 70 Up aired, showing the original children from 1964’s 7 Up. Back then, 14 children had taken part in the first series, and continued to do so every seven years since.
They’ve now closed the chapter with one final series, with ITV previously teasing: “Sue will talk about marrying Glenn and decades working at Queen Mary University of London, while Peter has more music news. KC John who wanted a powerful career and lawyer Andrew, the prep school boy who famously read the FT, return. Alongside them is Suzy, the young ballerina who hated her private school.
“The series will remember fondly the late Lynn, part of the trio of friends. Meanwhile, we hear from Charles who left the programme at 21. And the series will also include a poignant and moving interview with the late Nick, the farmer’s son who fulfilled his dream to become a nuclear physicist.”
After hearing about the stars who had passed, watching the once seven-year-olds grow up over the years and face the hardships of life, and one of the contestants, Neil, revealing how he had once been left homeless and struggled with his mental health, viewers were left emotional.
One person wrote: “In a quiet way, this is all incredibly moving. There’s such a great amount of regret and pain in this life. So much of it unspoken.” Another commented: “Remarkable social experiment. Quite emotional watching their lives,” reports the Mirror.
Other viewers called it a “hard watch”, with some admitting they were in tears, as one said: “I’m bawling already knowing Nick is no longer with us.” Another person said: “So moving and thought-provoking. Again. You can’t help but reflect about your own life…wonder what you’ve done for the last seven years…loss…everything…Utterly brilliant , despite wanting to see more ‘70’ updates.”
Someone else said: “I’m very emotional watching #70Up tonight on ITVX. In the blink of an eye, hopes and aspirations of children are but distant memories. It’s all flown by – time and life. No matter what you roots, your privilege or lack of privilege, just so many regrets. It’s a sharp reminder to cherish every day, try to fulfil your dreams and remember what’s important.”
Yet another wrote: “Wow!!! Probably the greatest TV series of all time.” Someone else said: “70 Up (Part 1) on ITV is absolutely fantastic; having only seen the last two films broadcast, I still feel a strange love and motivation for those involved. Well done to Asif Kapadia and ITV for concluding the series after Michael Apted.”
The reaction comes after one of the contestants, Suzy, opened up about how she’d found filming “difficult” and “intrusive” over the years. She appeared on Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain with Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, and revealed she’d never watched the series before.
Susanna began: “As I understand it, you’ve never watched your story back. Why not?” Suzy replied: “Because I find it really hard. Do most people like watching themselves back? I don’t know?”
Susanna went on to question: “Do you find it hard because you find hard things have happened in your life? Or do you find it hard because you found filming the programme intrusive and hard?”
Suzy replied: “It’s more the intrusive side, because I’m quite a private person and I just find it really difficult trying to put it out there.” Suzy went on to recall how she was “very shy” as a young teenager, adding: “You look at 14-year-olds now and they’re so different to how we were.”
As Ed admitted he found watching the final show “incredibly emotional”, Suzy shared: “When it started off, as a so-called go at the class system, thank goodness that’s all changed. People are now interested enough and the class system has changed, thankfully, I believe. I think it’s blended now.”
Reflecting on her words in the show that “some of the pieces of the jigsaw are missing,” she added: “This 70 is now putting in the final piece of the jigsaw and closing it.”
70 Up is available to watch on ITVX.
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