ITV announces 70 Up as iconic documentary series ends after 62 years
ITV is bringing the longrunning Up documentary series to a close.
ITV has announced 70 Up as a final chapter to the decades-long documentary series.
The broadcaster has unveiled plans for the end of the long running series, which has followed the lives of 14 people since the age of seven.
The 10th and final chapter of the iconic Up series, which first launched in 1964, will air as two 90-minute episodes.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia will helm the feature length episodes, which are due to air on ITV1 and ITVX later this year.
The director is taking over from the late Michael Apted, who spent decades questioning and exploring the lives of the original lineup.
From taxi driver Tony to university administrator Sue, the majority are set to return.
Two of the original participants, Lynn Johnson and Nick Hitchon, have died, but Charles Furneaux - last seen in 21 Up - will return for the finale.
ITV has also confirmed two companion spinoff programmes delving into the history of the special series.
The first is 7 Up: The Story, which will explore the conception of the original show, while offering a unique look at life in Britain back in 1964.
The second spinoff programme is 70 Up: The Victorians, which features footage of a group of 70 year olds who were all born in the Victorian era.
They were interviewed around the same time the original 7 Up series started, offering a unique comparison between 70 year olds then and now.
The forgotten footage was rediscovered by the archive team at ITV Studios' MultiStory Media, who were working on the final Up series at the time.
The original 7 Up introduced UK viewers to 14 seven-year-old hicldren from a range of backgrounds, and revisited them every seven years or so.
As well as the returning Charles, the contributors set to return include Bruce Balden, Sue Davis, Jackie Bassett, Tony Walker, John Brisby, Paul Kligerman, Suzy Lusk, Andrew Brackfield, Neil Hughes, Peter Davies and Symon Basterfield.
