The Up Series

I want to be a jockey when I grow up, ya I want to be a jockey when I grow up

I'm down for Heathfield and.

South of Amena...

we are going to Africa

and trying to teach people

I don't think you want to go to university

if you want to be an astronaut

I'd like to

find out all about the moon and all that.

Is it important to fight? Yes!

I want to be a jockey when I grow up, ya I want to be a jockey when I grow up.

Tony was already an apprentice at Tommy Gosling's Racing Stables in Epsom

when he left school at fifteen.

This is a photo finish of

when I rode at Newbury

I'm the one with the white cap

I was beaten a length and a half for third

and I had a photo finish

so I took it out the box and kept it as a souvenir.

What would you do if you don't make it as a jockey?

I don't know

if I knew I couldn't be one I'd get out of the game.

I wouldn't bother.

What do you think you would do then?

Learn taxis

Tony didn't make it as a jockey.

He had three races, wasn't placed and gave it up.

At 21 he was 'doing the knowledge'

learning to be a London cabbie.

I will be a cab driver and I know I will

and I'm going to prove every person who think I can't be a cab driver wrong

and I'm going to get that badge and put it right in their face

just to tell them how wrong they can be

and how under estimated I am

it's surprising who you pick-up, you see..

I once met Kojak, I picked him up

and Warren Mitchell or Alf Garnett, you know...

and I said "oh Hello Warren, how are you mate? Good to see ya."

So he ends up saying "I want to go to Langan's Brasserie

you know Stratton Street, Langan's"

so half way there I said listen, I said "Warren, it wouldn't..."

I said "It wouldn't be you if you don't sort of..

Come out with Alf you know, I mean.. Give us a..

Let's see how he's going you know"

so straight away he's brought Alf Garnett to life

in the back of me cab

so.

We are on the way to Langan's and all I can hear is Alf Garnett

"you know... it's the labour government"

when we get there

I said "thanks Warren, terrific mate."

So he gave me exactly

listen, I said "I know you're Alf Garnett and you're having trouble.."

I said "but I want you to become Warren Mitchell now..

My tip is 20 odd pence or whatever..."

He said "son..."

As Alf Garnett still

"you know Alf's doing bad at the moment I can't afford it"

and he walked away and like...

he done me like a kipper.

What does it take to be a good cabbie?

I think myself, a happy-go-lucky character

and

take as much as what any other person couldn't take in a normal job because

it's a big world out there and everyone is a different character that I pick up

there attitudes... some of them like the city gents, the typical.

"Waterloo, driver please, in five minutes"

I sort of say "Hold on mate I'll get my helicopter out of the boot."

I love being a taxi driver I like the outdoor life

the independance, there's no one to govern me or say

"you've got to be in at a certain time."

Sometimes on Saturday mornings I go to the pictures

sometimes with my friends and sometimes with him

you don't! - I do!

She don't.

I don't ever see ya!

You go to different pictures.

Have you got a girlfriend? - No.

Would you like to have a girlfriend?

No.

Do you understand 'the four F's?'

find them, feed them and forget them

for the other F I'll let you use your own discrimination

I mean...

this one

I tried the three F's

but I couldn't forget her

I used to work in a pub

just on Friday nights

barmaids... barmaiding...

and then

and then from there one night I went to a discotheque

he was in the pub earlier on

afterwards we went to a discotheque and Tony was standing there

and I just... from there I just...

that was it.

I couldn't get rid of him.

And why did you fall in love with him?

I don't know.

I don't know how you've put up with me for so long

sometimes I don't know how I stand him

but what is it that you love about... - I like his personality

it doesn't matter who it is he don't change for nobody

there's only one ambition really I want a baby son

if I see my baby son that is my ambition fulfilled

no one know that only you now

we've got two children Nicky's six and a half.

Jodi's two and a half nearly three

and I'm having another one in March.

Who looks after them? Or, do you share it up?

Me basically, yeah

he does take them out quite a lot

but

telling offs and smacks is all left to me

I have to do all of that

he don't like smacking them

he don't like telling them off

unless it's really.. Really.. - Anything serious then I would

there you are... see that baby one?

So what advantages do you think you've had over

some of the other people we've filmed?

Well.. Academically, probably they've had more advantages over me

either by the fact they've had prep schools from a very early age

they've benefited by it which, you know, it tells obviously in this film

but as far as, you know, the stability and the backgrounds with their parents

they've missed out on that.

Ton.. I don't like them near me

come on - have a piece of bread each

here Jodi..

Jodi..

Being in a prep school they're missing the love and the care of what every.

Eastender always gets

you know, gives their children each time they come home from work

and the parents, you know

sometimes obviously are not going to be there cause they are away at prep school

they're missing

the love and affection you know, what they are craving for

when my kids are growing up, I want to see the change in them, all the time

so I have my own memories of when they was a kid and how they were

you know and what they were like

would everybody please sit round now and get on with their work?

I don't want to see any backs to me

there shouldn't be anyone turning around Tony, do you hear as well?

Ge t on with you're work in front.

Tony!

Don't turn around again!

Education is just a thing to say "my son is higher than him"

or "my son had a better background than him"

I mean.

I'm as good or even better than most of them people

especially on this program

I mean

I'm one of the tailenders you'll think oh the Eastend boy

he ain't got a no good education... but all of a sudden

the Eastend boy's got a car, motorbike and he goes to Spain every year

and whatever

and have I worked for it?

No, I'm here putting bets on

and you think "how does he do it?"

And there's a boy, who's he? And whatever

he's studying to be a professor, he's making up the things

where's the education, there's no education in this world

it's just one big rat race and you've got to

kill your man next to you to get in front of him

education, when I said "there's no education"

yes, there is an education I made a grave mistake in saying that

but, I didn't mean to say there's no education as far as academically

yes, there is

the area, the environment

and education makes a person have more opportunities in this world

you know, I mean that's.. That's obvious.

Let's talk about the kids.

Do you want for them what you had for yourself?

In terms of schooling and everything?

You're talking about.. My childhood five years old upwards to 7, 8, 9

I had no money, my father had no money

I wore my brother's clothes for ten years

these hand-me-down's are sort of going on my arms with holes on them

I've never had any opportunities to better myself because I was a kid

I never knew no better

my mum and dad, you know

my dad's got.. You know he's.. He couldn't work

I'm not making a violin story out of this

I mean, that's the way it was

and I'm more stronger

it happened that way I mean, I'm a more stronger person

I appreciate things more now

and now I'm in a position through my job

you know, to give my kids the life I never had like.. Lovely clothes

I go to holidays, you know, I go to Portugal and I go to Spain

hopefully America next year.

I mean, I want everything

I never had to go, you know, on my kids

to say, you know...

let them know the benefits of the nice life and what's it's all about

they're precious! "Oh yes... oh yes... oh yes..."

They're nuts!

You just have to touch them...

yeah, they.. Well, they can get what they want, can't they?

If you've got to work for it