ITV's beloved 7 Up series will end after 62 years with "epic and moving" final chapter 70 Up

ITV’s long-running 7 Up documentary series is concluding with an “epic and moving” final instalment later this year.

In 1964, 7 Up was screened for the very first time and every seven years since, cameras have returned to capture a journey from childhood to teenagers to adulthood, through careers, marriage, divorce, parenting, bereavement and more.

And now, 70 Up, will allow viewers to join the participants for the last time as they reflect on their triumphs, trials and tribulations and what happened to their hopes and dreams.

In the finale, the participants will look back at their lives in a way very few people ever have, caught on camera and recorded for ever.

The finale will feature Tony, the “cheeky chap” who wanted to be a jockey before becoming a London cab drive, as well as Neil, who once dreamed of being an astronaut. Plus Bruce, the public schoolboy who wanted to be a missionary, Symon, who has fostered more than 120 children, shy Paul, who is now a grandparent and Jackie, who left Scotland with a new partner.

ITV has teased: “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.”

Jo Clinton-Davis, controller of factual ITV and commissioner of 70 Up said: “The 7 Up story is much more than a TV documentary, it’s a document of our times. A truly distinctive landmark piece of film-making that has become part of our cultural fabric. In the evolving stories of our cast we see the universal themes of life play out. It is the series that made me want to get into television.

“It is the series that I am beyond proud of having been involved in since 56 Up. It is a tribute to Michael Apted who will forever be associated with it and to the continued dedication and remarkable skill of Claire Lewis. Yet in Asif Kapadia we have an outstanding director who will bring his passion, creativity and incredible flair whilst safeguarding the very precious ‘Up’ legacy. Ultimately, this is a tribute to the courage of all the cast who continue to share their lives with us so we can see our lives in them.”

While Asif Kapadia, director of 70 Up commented: “In 2014 I named the Up Series as my favourite documentary of all time. Who knew that two decades later I would have the incredible honour and privilege to be asked to direct 70 Up, the legendary documentary series. I love the show! I have watched it all my life, first as a child with my parents and siblings, growing up in East London and then as an adult. I was lucky to meet Michael Apted a few times.

“I first came in contact with Apted when he interviewed me after he saw SENNA and he liked the fact I directed drama and documentaries, like him. Directing 70 Up has been a dream project for me, the ultimate portrait of human life, working with my amazing editors Andrew Hulme and Patrick Saxer, we had the challenge of cutting hours of archive material shot over decades, while also looking at the nature of documentary filmmaking itself. I hope the audience feel my team and I have done the epic series justice with the closing chapter.”

What remains at the heart of the films will be questions of class, education, wealth and the all important thread of whether it holds true to say: “Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man.”

Mike Blair, creative director at MultiStory Media and executive producer of 70 Up added: “It has been a privilege to be part of this truly groundbreaking series – one that I have followed my whole life. It is a bittersweet moment drawing it to a close.

“But in Asif Kapadia we found a director who has paid homage to what has gone before because he believes, like the rest of us, that it is very precious. It is the end of a historic television journey and we hope everyone – particularly the people whose lives we have followed for decades – will feel these films are a fitting tribute.”

70 Up will air on ITV later this year.

Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.