Asif Kapadia is set to conclude the esteemed ITV documentary series “Up” with a final episode scheduled for release later this year. This series, which commenced in 1964, was recognized in 2024 as the most influential television program in the UK over the past half-century. It has followed a group of individuals from their early childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, and now prepares to revisit them as they near their senior years.
The show’s original creator, Michael Apted, who passed away in 2021, had been revisiting the participants every seven years, with Claire Lewis also contributing as a director. Kapadia, renowned for his documentaries on figures like Amy Winehouse, Ayrton Senna, and Diego Maradona, has taken over the reins and expressed that this new role is a tremendous honor and privilege.
Kapadia remarked that the “Up” series is his all-time favorite, referring to it as “the ultimate portrait of human life.” Jo Clinton-Davis, ITV’s controller of factual programming and commissioner for “70 Up,” described the series as a significant work of filmmaking that has woven itself into the cultural fabric of the UK. She emphasized that the final episode will serve as a tribute to Apted’s legacy.
Clinton-Davis further noted, “With Asif Kapadia at the helm, we have an exceptional director who will infuse his passion, creativity, and remarkable skill while preserving the cherished legacy of ‘Up.’ Ultimately, this is a tribute to the bravery of all the participants who continue to share their journeys with us, allowing us to see reflections of our own lives.”
Originally conceived as a one-off project to capture the British class system and its impact on people’s lives, the program’s concept was developed by Tim Hewat, the founding editor of Granada’s “World in Action.” Hewat drew inspiration from the Jesuit saying, “Give me the child until he is seven and I will show you the man.” For the inaugural 40-minute film, Apted was tasked with researching and selecting British children from various social classes. Fourteen seven-year-olds were chosen, including Neil Hughes from Liverpool, who immediately caught the audience’s attention by expressing his ambition to become an astronaut.
The series has allowed viewers to witness the life trajectories of the selected children, including Hughes, whose journey involved struggles with depression, homelessness, and eventual redemption as a lay preacher and Liberal Democrat councillor. In a 2019 interview with the Guardian, Hughes reflected that the “Up” series represented Apted’s interpretation of his life. Notably, only one participant, Charles Furneaux, opted to withdraw from the series prematurely, although some have chosen not to appear in every installment. Nick Hitchon, a participant who became a distinguished scientist, passed away in 2023.
In 2024, “Up” was voted the most influential series of the last fifty years by the Broadcasting Press Guild, based on a survey of prominent television writers in the UK. When asked in 2012 about the series’ longevity, Apted stated, “As long as I’m above ground, I’ll carry on,” adding that perhaps someone else would take over if he were no longer available. His prediction has now come to fruition, with Kapadia set to bring the series to its final chapter.
