7 Up hit with ‘outdated attitudes’ warning as iconic ITV documentary prepares for final ever episodes
ITV viewers have been warned about “outdated attitudes” in the original 7 Up documentary ahead of the iconic series coming to an end.
The landmark programme first aired in 1964 and followed 14 seven year olds as they discussed their lives, including class, money, schools and what they expected from the future.
The children were then revisited every seven years, creating an unprecedented record of how their lives and Britain itself changed over the decades.
The journey is finally coming to an end this month with 70 Up.
ITV slaps warning on historic 7 Up episode
On ITVX, the original programme is listed under Documentaries & Lifestyle and carries a warning telling viewers it “contains outdated attitudes”. The platform also provides a parental controls link to block child viewers.
Director Michael Apted, who died in 2021, was clear about what he wanted the series to achieve.
He described the project as a mirror held up to the nation and believed it should not be filtered.
He said: “The series was an attempt to do a long view of English society… The class system needed a kick up the backside.
“I love it, it’s the most important thing I’ve ever done.”
The warning has prompted criticism from a TV insider, who argued that showing attitudes from 1964 was central to the entire project.
They said: “The whole purpose of 7 Up was to capture how Britain thought in 1964 and then watch it change.
“Warning people that a documentary about attitudes contains attitudes is like warning them that a nature programme contains animals. These are seven-year-olds talking about girlfriends and boarding school.”
‘Not a surprise to anyone’
The Free Speech Union’s Lord Toby Young also questioned the need for the warning.
He said: “It can’t be a surprise to anyone that a 1964 documentary contains outdated attitudes.”
The groundbreaking documentary last aired in 2019 with 63 Up.
Twelve of the original 14 participants are expected to feature in the final instalment. Charles Furneaux is also believed to be returning after leaving the experiment following 21 Up.
Two of the original 7 Up children have died. Lynn Johnson passed away in 2013, a year after 56 Up was released, while Nick Hitchon died in 2023 after appearing in 63 Up.
The final chapter will consist of two 90 minute programmes, bringing the remarkable 7 Up experiment to a close after more than six decades.
- 70 Up begins at 9pm on Tuesday, September 15, on ITV1.
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