70 Up review – a deeply moving conclusion for the 63-year-long TV experiment

Published 2w ago · Updated 1w ago

AI summary55s readPositive

The legendary longitudinal documentary series bids a deeply emotional farewell with its final definitive chapter.

The groundbreaking television documentary experiment has concluded with a final installment directed by Asif Kapadia following the terminal cancer diagnosis of participant Nick Hitchon. Commissioned after Hitchon requested one last interview, the closing chapter brings closure to a project that followed its subjects at multi-year intervals since its inception in the nineteen sixties. Critics have lauded the concluding episode as an elegiac and deeply moving masterpiece that honours the legacy of its original creator Michael Apted.

The landmark television project was originally initiated by Granada Television as part of the World in Action strand.
Filmmaker Michael Apted previously directed the series for decades before his death following the completion of the sixty-third year installment.
Participant Nick Hitchon grew up from a Yorkshire farmer's son to become a nuclear scientist before receiving his terminal cancer diagnosis.
Director Asif Kapadia took over the helm to guide the final chapter of the multi-decade sociological study.

By the numbers

14primary school children originally introduced

Timeline

Sep 15Reviews and warnings highlight the emotional weight of the upcoming final documentary installment.
Sep 16The finale airs to widespread critical acclaim, cementing the project's legacy in television history.

Why it matters

The landmark television franchise is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious documentary projects in broadcasting history, providing an unprecedented longitudinal study of British social mobility and human aging.

What outlets agree on

All outlets report that the landmark documentary series has concluded with a final installment prompted by the terminal illness of a participant, marking the end of the long-running television project.

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In this story

70 UpAsif KapadiaNick HitchonMichael AptedITV

Covered by 3 outlets

67% of the sources are Left

67%33%

Lean ratings via Media Bias/Fact Check, AllSides

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