63 UP

[LMcD]

Well you were right Ferney. Excellent and sometimes touching programme. I just hope not too many people were deterred by Monday's travesty.

£10 on its way.

Absolutely wonderful television- and far from being just 'a series of laments'. I found Sue's 'testimony' particularly interesting and inspiring.

[gradus]

Touching and engaging television.

[Serial_Apologist]

Absolutely wonderful television- and far from being just 'a series of laments'. I found Sue's 'testimony' particularly interesting and inspiring.

Her friend on the programme, iirc, also an East Ender, died since the making of the last series, and I remember being especially moved when she spoke of the already declining state of the NHS, in which she was either a nurse or a midwife.

I find these programmes immensely moving and the characters often identifiable with, giving one another take on the periods through which one has oneself lived and seen changes, not all of them good. Unlike a previous poster, I think Cockney boy Tony has come out rather well in the end, after mouthing some rather non-PC opinions last time: he even says he's re-considering Brexit and thinking of voting Green! I'm wondering what happened to the Bible-reading waif-like character we saw drifting to far distant location after far distant location, who ended up in the Hebrides (if my memory serves me) after previously getting elected onto Hackney Council as a Lib-Dem.

[ardcarp]

I'm wondering what happened to the Bible-reading waif-like character we saw drifting to far distant location after far distant location, who ended up in the Hebrides (if my memory serves me) after previously getting elected onto Hackney Council as a Lib-Dem.

Probably on tonight's episode? A very complex character who has constantly had to battle his own demons......

[LMcD]

Probably on tonight's episode? A very complex character who has constantly had to battle his own demons......

Or Thursday's?

[Conchis]

Her friend on the programme, iirc, also an East Ender, died since the making of the last series, and I remember being especially moved when she spoke of the already declining state of the NHS, in which she was either a nurse or a midwife.

I find these programmes immensely moving and the characters often identifiable with, giving one another take on the periods through which one has oneself lived and seen changes, not all of them good. Unlike a previous poster, I think Cockney boy Tony has come out rather well in the end, after mouthing some rather non-PC opinions last time: he even says he's re-considering Brexit and thinking of voting Green! I'm wondering what happened to the Bible-reading waif-like character we saw drifting to far distant location after far distant location, who ended up in the Hebrides (if my memory serves me) after previously getting elected onto Hackney Council as a Lib-Dem.

Neil Hughes

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jun/03/neil-hughes-seven-up-63-up-itv-documentary

[LMcD]

Neil Hughes

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...tv-documentary

Many thanks for the link - a fascinating read.

[Serial_Apologist]

Many thanks for the link - a fascinating read.

Depression seem to be being viewed as the main cause of Neil's ups and downs in life. No one in the discussion appears to consider that Neil could well be autistic. I had had him down as possibly schizoid, but now, as one who identified with him to some extent and have discovered myself to be in the spectrum (it is often inherited), this might explain his misconstrued expectations of life and other people. It's taken me 73 years to realise this!

[Conchis]

Depression seem to be being viewed as the main cause of Neil's ups and downs in life. No one in the discussion appears to consider that Neil could well be autistic. I had had him down as possibly schizoid, but now, as one who identified with him to some extent and have discovered myself to be in the spectrum (it is often inherited), this might explain his misconstrued expectations of life and other people. It's taken me 73 years to realise this!

A lot of people seem to identify with Neil, and I can understand why. There is a central conflict in his personality - he seeks an active, commanding role in life (in politics or the theatre) but his upbringing - his parents were both teachers - stressed politeness and consideration for others. As a result, he seems to lack the ‘hard skills’ (ruthlessness, the cultivation of sharp elbows) to get himself to where he wants to be. When placed in situations where he is required to be authoritative, he seems to go too far (it was telling that the Shetland pantomime organisers didn’t ask hiim to direct another production).

[ardcarp]

No one in the discussion appears to consider that Neil could well be autistic.

Speaking from a position of pure ignorance, I didn't perceive in Neil , as a kid or an adult, any signs of 'being o the spectrum'. And that excellent Guardian article didn't point in that direction either. Depressive and occasionally manic tendencies seem to be there...but mental health is so hard to put into boxes that there are probably as many individual diggnoses as there are individuals. Neil's comment "“For most people,.....what’s on TV is more real than the truth. But people must remember that there’s someone behind the camera” is so true; and I'd add that what's on TV is what the producers choose to let you see.

[Conchis]

Speaking from a position of pure ignorance, I didn't perceive in Neil , as a kid or an adult, any signs of 'being o the spectrum'. And that excellent Guardian article didn't point in that direction either. Depressive and occasionally manic tendencies seem to be there...but mental health is so hard to put into boxes that there are probably as many individual diggnoses as there are individuals. Neil's comment "“For most people,.....what’s on TV is more real than the truth. But people must remember that there’s someone behind the camera” is so true; and I'd add that what's on TV is what the producers choose to let you see.

We’re all somewhere ‘on the spectrum’, though, aren’t we?

Nowadays, people use ‘autistic’ as a lazy portmanteau term for anyone who is slightly eccentric, or who doesn’t happen to share their sense of humour.

Quite right about the ‘selective eye’ of the programme-makers, who are out to make an attention-grabbing (and advertising revenue-attracting) programme rather than reporting ‘the truth’. I imagine most of the participants do it for the family holiday that the participation fee is supposed to cover, though some of the richer ones (John, for example) do it for the spotlight it throws on their charitable efforts.

Very sad to watch the interview iwth Lynn’s family and to hear about the circumstances of her death. Life is indeed fragile.

[ardcarp]

I wouldn't be posting this if I thought Neil might be logging in to this Forum! The amateur psychologist in me wonders if:

- Rejection by Oxford triggered some Jude the Obscure syndrome
- Rejection of parents' way of life...maybe parental over-ambition...was severe
- He dabbled with drugs at some point
- He had big mental health interventions at some point...possibly ECT

An interesting and complex character, probably difficult to live with, but one for whom I feel the deepest sympathy. Interestingly, he came over as the most 'normal' and thoughtful 14-year-old!

Will ITV do a 70Up I wonder?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Will ITV do a 70Up I wonder?

I'm reminded of Sue's response to the question "What do you think life will be like in your 70s?" "You tell me, Michael!" In 7 years time Michael Apted will be 85 - and so much of the series has been held together by his presence and initiative: would the participants want to be involved - and could they be as forthcoming - with someone else?

I hope so - and I hope Apted is physically and mentally able to go on to "84-Up" and beyond. This has been a fascinating series - something that I've been aware of as long as I can remember. I'm four years younger than the participants, so couldn't possibly remember the first programme - but it was been repeated before "14-Up", so I remember it from the age of 10.

On the whole, this seemed a much more positive set of interviews than the last couple of series - with the obvious exceptions. It's as if, in their 60s, they've accepted who they are, what life has given them, they've nothing they need to "prove" anymore and are regaining some of the optimism of their 7-year-old selves.

I hope it continues - but, if not, it has been a marvellous series of documentaries, and I'm very glad to have been at an age to follow it as it happened.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And, most of all, I hope Nick is around and able to take full part when the time comes for the next series. Even if there isn't one.

[ardcarp]

On the whole, this seemed a much more positive set of interviews than the last couple of series

...interesting how most participants have 'mellowed' in their sixties. A couple of instances. That bumptious little prep school lad (in spite of St Pau's, Oxford, the Silk, etc) now seems quite broad-minded and helps out with a Bulgarian charity. And the opinionated taxi-driver even thinks he might have got Brexit wrong. A certain wisdom comes with age, perhaps? A case for a gerontocracy?

And I'm 10 years older than the cohort.