The groundbreaking documentary series "Seven Up!", which has tracked the lives of 14 children since they were seven years old, is concluding with its latest installment, "70 Up". The series, initiated by researcher Michael Apted who later became a Hollywood director, has followed its participants every seven years, documenting their journeys through life.

A Life on Screen

Sue Davis and Jackie Bassett, both now 70, were among the original group selected from a working-class East London school. Davis, a retired university administrator, and Bassett, who has lived in various places including Scotland and Norfolk, reflect on their experiences of growing up under the documentary's lens.

"At the beginning of the show we were very cute, but, as the years went on, Lynn became quite serious and thought hard before she spoke," Davis recalled, referring to their classmate Lynn Johnson, who passed away in 2013. "Jackie challenged Michael sometimes, whereas I’m more laid back. But we very much supported each other."

Bassett noted that early on, the show's focus on the girls often revolved around relationships and family. "Michael would ask the boys about the world and politics, but the girls would be asked about men, marriage and family," she said. "There weren’t any female captains of industry back then, but that started to change over the 1970s and 80s."

Davis also commented on the societal expectations of their time. "Looking back, there was no push for university for us girls. I don’t ever remember my parents talking about education," she said. "The more privileged boys in the first documentary talked about going to Charterhouse or Oxford, but people thought we’d just want to work in a shoe shop." Despite these expectations, Davis progressed in the university field, and Johnson became a librarian.

Love, Loss, and Life Choices

The series captured significant life events for Davis and Bassett, including marriages and divorces. Davis married her second husband, Glenn, in 2020 after a 25-year engagement. Bassett experienced difficult times, including the death of her former partner Ian in 2012. Both women navigated the challenges of single motherhood.

Losing Lynn Johnson was a profound moment for Davis and Bassett. "I loved Lynn – she was a good, kind person – but Michael expected us to be crying three years later and we couldn’t force it," Davis said. "I lost my mum at 30; I lost the boys’ dad at 56. You can’t compare it to losing a friend I saw once every seven years."

Bassett shared her struggles with rheumatoid arthritis, a condition she was diagnosed with at 40, which impacts her on certain days but is not visibly apparent. "You can’t see any symptoms, though, so I don’t think Michael thought I had a problem," she stated.

Reflections and Future

As they reach 70, both women express a sense of accomplishment. "I think Sue and I have done pretty well for ourselves," Bassett said. "Ironically, we had choices the boys didn’t have because their lives were already mapped out. I’d rather be in my position than theirs."

Davis, who is proud to be the first in her family to own a home through the government's right-to-buy scheme, also expressed concerns about the current education system. "I worry the government is missing the boat with apprenticeships. Not everyone wants to go to university, especially if you leave with debt and can’t get a job," she commented.

Bassett encourages her granddaughter to pursue any ambition. "I say to my 14-year-old granddaughter, ‘You can be anything. Just tell me what that is, and we’ll find a pathway for you to do it,’" she said.

Despite Apted's death in 2021, the series continues under director Asif Kapadia, offering a final look at the lives shaped by this unique, long-term documentary project. "70 Up" airs on ITV on September 15.