The Up Series

I'm going to work in Woolworth's.

When I grow up I want to be an astronaut.

When I get married I'd like to have two children.

My hearts desire is to see my Daddy

I don't want to answer that.

This is no ordinary outing at the zoo

it's a very special occasion

we've brought these children together for the very first time

they're like any other children

except that they come from startlingly different backgrounds.

Stop it at once!

We brought these children together because we wanted a glimpse

of England in the year 2000

the shop steward and the executive of the year 2000

are now seven years old.

In 1964 World in Action made Seven Up

we have been back to film these children every seven years

they are now forty-nine.

Is it important to fight? Yes!

Tony was brought up in the East end of London.

I want to be a jockey when I grow up yeah.

At fourteen he was already an apprentice

at Tommy Gosling's racing stable in Epsom

at fifteen he left school.

This is a photo finish of when I rode at Newberry

I'm the one with the white cap

I was beaten a length and a half for third and had a photo finish.

Do you regret not making it?

I'd have given my right arm at the time arm to be a jockey

but now? ...Well I wasn't good enough.

What will 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

wouldn't bother

and what do you think you would do then?

Learn taxi's.

At twenty-one, he was on "The Knowledge"

and by twenty-eight he owned his own taxi.

It's surprising who you pick up.

I once met Kojak I picked him up

and Warren Mitchell, Alf Garnett, y'know.

- Have you got a girl friend? - No.

Would you like to have a girl friend?

No.

Do you understand the four F's?

Find them, feed them and forget them

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

but I mean, this one

I tried to do the three F's

but I couldn't forget her

I went to a discotheque

he was in the pub earlier on

and afterwards we went to a disco and Tony was standing there

and I just... from there that was it

couldn't get rid of him!

We have our ups and downs, no more than anyone else

I think you've got to work at a marriage

I think all marriages go through stages

you can't stand each other

I think "Oh god I hate him I wish he'd get out"

I do.

We've been to the edge of the cliff and looked over a couple of times

and we've always seemed to go back

and we've stayed the course

but I must say it's not easy being married.

By forty-two Tony and Debbie had left the Eastend

and moved to Woodford in Essex.

We were going to put a conservatory here

if you look along here

we've put a patio in and a pond for the fish

but the only thing I ever done was

I planted them three trees

well since you were last here we had small trees if you remember?

Now they've sort of grown a bit.

So why are the trees singed?

We were burning some rubbish at the back

and it set light to the tree

and there we were throwing buckets of water over it

sadly enough it's singed the tree.

At forty-nine, they'd taken out a second mortgage on the London house

and sunk the money into a holiday home in Spain

I'm very pleased with the house

the progress we've made in the little time we've worked here

and to get it all ship-shape, I think it's done

to the testament of my wife Debbie.

As per usual!

Debbie went to the furniture shop and picked all the furniture

all what you see is Debbie's choice of furniture and her style

the floor, we were lead to believe we had a choice of tiling

whether it's a light beige or light brown.

That's the first I've heard that we had a choice, 'cause I would've had plain

I've just gone into the neighbours house and they've got all plain tiles

and I asked him and he said it was a choice that we had when we bought it.

- So that was where the mistake was made. - Because you don't listen.

Say that again - You don't listen - I Can't hear you

Tony and Debbie still work as London cabbies.

We sold our cabs as we're going to spend more time out here

so it's not really conducive to own the cab is it? - No

because the cab will be left out on the drive, it's pointless

and we just hire a cab independently now

I'm working harder now than what I ever have done, but

I feel that it's for something.

Tell me son, what do you want to be a cab driver for?

All the holidays in Spain every year but it's hard work out there.

You're not reaching me yet - I'm not getting to you?

- Be bigger, dominate me! - Son!

At twenty-eight Tony was taking acting lessons

now he supplements his income with occasional TV jobs.

Oi!

That's all I've got on me.

If I had a pound for every time I've heard that I'd be a rich man.

Get him!

A guy contacted me from my acting agency

and I got in touch with him and he writes plays

and he's been inspired by your Up programs

which go all around the world and he saw it

and we got together and wrote a biographical play about my life story

we took one of these episodes over to New York and did a play reading

and I got up and played the lead role

and it went extremely well

and we're looking for someone to pick it up and put it on stage.

Would everybody please sit round now, get on with their work

I don't want to see any backs to me

shouldn't be anybody turning round, Tony do you hear as well?

Get on with your work in front

Tony!

Don't turn round again

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

and if I see my baby son that'll be my ambition fulfilled

no one knows that, only you now!

Debbie and Tony have three children

Nicky

Jodie

and Perry.

Nicky's doing quite well, he's still a French Polisher

it's an old time profession, as you know

and he's working for a firm and he's very happy in his work isn't he.

He's been brought up to be very respectful to people

a very well mannered person, he's a hard worker

Jodie at this present time just relies on us a very great deal

and...

she's been very scarred with a relationship that she was in

her relationship with her first love was very turbulent

but he's the father of her kid.

I'm going to make sure she gets through it

and it's been quite a strain on Debbie and I to see her in that situation.

I'm very proud of Perry as well

she got in the Post Office and that's what she's doing.

"Postman-Pel" that's our Postman Perry

she loves it, she works hard she's up at four in the morning.

She's got a lovely boyfriend, he loves her more than you can imagine

and he's certainly got my blessing

big lad, very nice guy, loves his football, typical Eastend kid

we are the backbone for the kids aren't we.

Yeah but I think you're parents are anyway, you're parents are...

you never visualise anything ever happening to your parents

you think they're there for ever.

Tony's five.

Harry's four, nearly five

and little Boo, she's nearly two.

- Three! - She's three!

I'm a hands on grandad

I love my grand children more than you can imagine

I'd not say my own kids but in a different way

it's an obsession of love, y'know.

You see these grand children and they're part of you.

No grandad I'm doing that.

They're hard work at times - We don't mind though.

Once you slow down and you don't realise you're slowing down

all I understand is, dogs, prices, girls

knowledge, roads, streets, squares and mum and dad and love

that's all I understand and that's all I want to understand.

By the time he was thirty-five, both Tony's parents had died.

I'm at the grave side I'm talking to her

I've got all the images running through my mind

saying like "Tony go downstairs and get me five cigarettes"

and I used to go in the shop

she used to throw the cotton in a hair curler out the window

and I used to tie the cigarettes onto the cotton

and she used to pull them up

and she goes... I see her in the end.

"Thanks Tony, see you after school, be good" and that's the way it was.

We knew my dad was terminally ill

although it still didn't make it any easier for us

when my dad died I took it really hard

I can't...

Nellie Rose is my mum as her name was Nel

and her mothers name is Rose

so my Jodie and all the family were conjuring up names to name it

Jodie, out of thin air said Nellie Rose, the name of our mums.

Sometimes on Saturday morning I go to the cinema

sometimes with my friends, sometimes with him.

You don't - I do.

She don't

and why did you fall in love with him?

I don't know

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

sometimes I don't know how I stand him.

Who's to say in another ten years me and him might've split up.

Quite possible.