Where is the cast of the groundbreaking Seven Up! documentary now? As star Nick Hitchon passes away from throat cancer, what became of the OTHER participants in Michael Apted’s long-running TV series that first aired in 1964
- Series charted the lives of a group of children who had contrasting backgrounds
- It began with Seven Up! and most recent release was 63 Up in 2019
They were the children from sharply contrasting backgrounds who captivated the nation as their lives were followed over the course of decades.
In what began with Seven Up! in 1964, viewers saw how the Jesuit maxim ‘give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man’ played out in reality.
Now, following the death of Nick Hitchon – who viewers saw start life as the son of a farmer in the Yorkshire Dales before rising to become a respected scientist – MailOnline examines what happened to the 13 other participants.
They include Neil Hughes – the chess-playing Liverpool schoolboy who had aspirations to study at Oxford before his life took a sharply different turn – and the wealthy private school girl Suzy Lusk, who later refused to participate in the series.
Overall, there were ten boys and four girls who were followed in a succession of documentaries made every seven years by a team led by Michael Apted, who passed away in 2021.
The most recent, 63 Up, aired in 2019 and followed on from 56 Up, which was made in 2012.
Nick Hitchon
Until his retirement in June, Nick Hitchon was a respected professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin. In Seven Up! in 1964, he was first seen walking along a road near his home in and, when later asked if he had a girlfriend, memorably said: ‘I don’t want to answer that. I don’t answer those kind of questions’
Until his retirement in June, Nick Hitchon was a respected professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin.
He had worked at the institution since 1982, after gaining a doctorate in engineering science from the University of Oxford.
Hitchon was chosen to appear in the Up series despite the fact that he was aged just six when Seven Up was filmed.
He was spotted by Apted, who changed upon him at his Church of England primary school.
The eldest of three boys, he was the son of farmer Guy Hitchon and his wife Iona.
Hitchon and his younger brother were the only boys in the tiny Yorkshire hamlet of Hawkswick, where their family farmed.
In Seven Up! he was first seen walking along a road near his home in and, when later asked if he had a girlfriend, memorably said: ‘I don’t want to answer that. I don’t answer those kind of questions.’
But he prophetically also told viewers: ‘When I grow up, I’d like to find out all about the moon and all that.’
In 7 Plus Seven, the first follow-up, Hitchon was a teenage boarder at Yorkshire grammar school but had no interest in following his father into farming.
Nick Hitchon (far right) is seen in 49 Up in 2005. From left to right: Director Michael Apted, Paul, Jackie, Neil, Producer Claire Lewis, Tony, Sue, Symon, Lynn, Bruce and Nick
Hitchon is seen in Seven Up, when he was in fact aged just six. When asked if he had a girlfriend, he memorably said: ‘I don’t want to answer that. I don’t answer those kind of questions’
In 21 Up, in 1977, Hitchon was studying physics at Merton College, Oxford, and expressed his anger at how some viewers perceived him in the first show. Above: Nick with the other children from the show. From left to right: Bruce, Andrew, Peter, John, Jackie, Lynn (back), Neil (front) Tony, Charles, Sue, Symon, Paul Suzy and Nick
Seven years later, in 21 Up, Hitchon was studying physics at Merton College, Oxford, and expressed his anger at how some viewers perceived him in the first show.
He told Apted: ‘One of my friends had me pointed out to him as being destined to run the farm and being educationally pretty inept.’
He added that he had made a ‘conscious effort to be more outgoing’.
By 28 Up in 1984 Hitchon had reached the level of assistant professor at Wisconsin and was working as a researcher in nuclear fusion.
He had been married to fellow Oxford Undergraduate Jacqui Bush since 1979 and told how moving to the US had given him new opportunities and a standard of living that he could not have had in Britain.
Hitchon also explained his transition from child to adult, saying: ‘Trying to become a reasonably well-adjusted person was for me a bit of a struggle for a while and I was given a fantastic opportunity when I went to university, and that really saved my bacon.’
By the time of 42 Up in 1998, Hitchon had been a professor at Wisconsin for four years.
Hitchon featured despite the fact that he was only six when the show aired. The eldest of three boys, he was the son of farmer Guy Hitchon and his wife Iona
Hitchon is seen in 49 Up, which aired in 2005. Two shows were to follow, 56 Up in 2012 and 63 Up in 2019
By the time of 63 Up, both of Hitchon’s parents had passed away
In 49 Up in 2005 and 56 Up in 2012, Hitchon experienced the birth of his son, divorce from his first wife, remarriage to his second wife and the ailing health of his parents.
READ MORE: Star of pioneering Seven Up! documentary series Nick Hitchon dies aged 65
By the time of 63 Up in 2019, both of his parents had passed away. Asked how he compared to the boy who viewers first saw, he said: ‘I’m still the same little kid, really.
‘I think I can relate to that little guy who was all eager and all earnest trying to answer all the questions.’
He also revealed his throat cancer diagnosis and said then that he was unlikely to live beyond the end of 2020.
Hitchon is survived by his second wife Cryss Brunner and his son and two brothers.
Lynn Johnson
Lynn Johnson was one of three children from London’s East End who featured in Up.
She was best friends with the other two, Jackie Bassett Susan Davies. The girls were three of only four female participants in the series.
The trio, who were seen playing together in the first documentary, remained friends throughout the process.
Lynn, who dreamed of working at Woolworths as a child, married at 19, had two daughters and landed a job with a travelling children’s library before taking up a role at a school.
She took early retirement when the department downsized and she was laid off.
Lynn Johnson(right) was one of three children from London’s East End who featured in Up. She was best friends with the other two, Jackie Bassett (left) Susan Davies (centre). The girls were three of only four female participants in the series
The trio, who were seen playing together in the first documentary, remained friends throughout the process
Jackie, Lynn (centre) and Sue are seen in 7 Plus Seven, which aired in 1970
She sadly became the first cast member to die after a brief illness in 2013 – a year after the release of 56 Up.
She was a doting mother of two and grandmother of three and was still married to her husband Russ.
Lynn had served as Chair of Governors of St Saviour’s primary school in Poplar, London, for more than 25 years and after her death a section of the school library was renamed in her memory.
Apted said of her passing: ‘She was a lovely woman. She was very bright and she had a rough life.
‘She was one of our favourites because she was really straightforward and honest.’
Lynn (centre with Jackie and Sue) had served as Chair of Governors of St Saviour’s primary school in Poplar, London, for more than 25 years and after her death a section of the school library was renamed in her memory
Jackie Bassett
Mother-of-three and grandmother-of-five Jackie, who now lives in Motherwell after relocating to Scotland nearly 30 years ago, married at 19 and had several different jobs.
She has arguably had the toughest time of the three, having gone through divorce twice, brought up her children as a single parent and lost her partner when he was hit by a car while undergoing cancer treatment.
Jackie has rheumatoid arthritis which means she’s unable to work. In June 2019 she told the Sunday Post: ‘It can be really debilitating and it all depends how I manage it.
‘There are days when I wake up and feel great and other days when I just want to turn over and not even get out of bed.
Mother-of-three and grandmother-of-five Jackie, who now lives in Motherwell after relocating to Scotland nearly 30 years ago, married at 19 and had several different jobs
She has arguably had the toughest time of the three, having gone through divorce twice, brought up her children as a single parent and lost her partner when he was hit by a car while undergoing cancer treatment
‘It is getting more difficult, but you have to get on with things and there are people who are a lot worse off than me.’
In 49 Up, she was seen giving Apted a piece of her mind over the questions he was asking and accused him of making too much of her illness.
In the earlier programmes she’d felt the director had only spoken to the women about ‘domestic stuff’ whereas the boys were asked ‘political or theoretical or religious questions’.
She told the Guardian: ‘He had certain ideas about the way things should go, and for a long while he couldn’t deviate from that… I just decided that today’s the day that I tell him exactly what I’m thinking. He was a bit shocked by it.’
Speaking about her condition, she added: ‘It doesn’t rule me. Michael believes that’s the total reality of my life, but I don’t want to be seen that way.’
In the earlier programmes she’d felt the director had only spoken to the women about ‘domestic stuff’ whereas the boys were asked ‘political or theoretical or religious questions’
Sue Davis
Sue, who in 63 Up was working as an administrator at Queen Mary University of London, also married early, at 24, and was divorced by the age of 35.
In 42 Up she told how she was living as a single mother and spoke about the fulfilment she got from her two children.
She’d found love again with partner Glenn, and in 56 Up it was revealed they’d been engaged for 14 years. Seven years later, in 63 Up, they still hadn’t made it down the aisle.
Speaking to Radio Times, Sue discussed the fact she will be 70 when the next series comes around.
Sue, who in 63 Up was working as an administrator at Queen Mary University of London, also married early, at 24, and was divorced by the age of 35
‘Personally, and just speaking for myself, I am in a good place but things are going to get worse,’ she said. ‘You’re going to get sicker and older. Both my parents are with me so I’m thinking, ‘Another seven years, who knows? Am I going to be here, are they going to be here?’
‘There’s an element that thinks this would be a good time to finish, but another part of me thinks seven till 70? It’s got a good ring.’
Sue, a fan of amateur dramatics, spoke of looking forward to retirement – adding that she would like to be living in an idyllic cottage in Devon or Cornwall.
Speaking to Radio Times, Sue discussed the fact she will be 70 when the next series comes around
Bruce Balden
As a child at a prestigious boarding school in Hampshire, Bruce was concerned with poverty and racial discrimination and aspired to become a missionary.
In Seven Up! he said his greatest desire was to see his father, who was a soldier in Southern Rhodesia, which is now South Africa.
His parents had separated and Bruce had returned to the UK with his mother.
Bruce, who did get to see his dad again, went on to study maths at Oxford University before teaching his subject in London’s East End and Bangladesh.
As a child at a prestigious boarding school in Hampshire, Bruce was concerned with poverty and racial discrimination and aspired to become a missionary. Right: Bruce ahead of 63 Up
He then took up a role at a well-regarded private school in St Albans.
He married a fellow teacher before 42 Up, and had two sons.
Bruce’s father watched the programme when he retired to the UK, and Bruce said he was proud of it.
Speaking to The Telegraph on whether there is any truth in the programme’s main concept, which is ‘give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man,’ Bruce said: ‘There’s something from the seven-year-old in all of us, you can see that.
‘It certainly was a polemic about class to begin with, but it has become much more human than that with the stories.’
Bruce pictured when he was seven years old in 1964. Bruce’s father watched the programme when he retired to the UK
Neil Hughes
None of the children confounded viewers’ predictions more than Neil; he began the series as a bright-eyed pupil at a Liverpool school who played chess and hoped to go to Oxford – and the Moon.
But by the time of 7 Plus Seven (14 Up), Neil was a nervous, anxious shadow of his former self, after being tormented by bullies.
In 21 Up he had dropped out of Aberdeen University after one term and was living in a London squat working on building sites.
Neil spent much of his twenties and early thirties a homeless drifter and after moving to Scotland he eventually moved into a council house in the Shetland Islands, where he wrote and appeared in a local pantomime.
None of the children confounded viewers’ predictions more than Neil; he began the series as a bright-eyed pupil at a Liverpool school who played chess and hoped to go to Oxford – and the Moon.
By 21 Up Neil had dropped out of Aberdeen University after one term and was living in a London squat working on building sites
By the time of 42 Up he was back in London and stayed temporarily in Bruce’s flat.
Despite Neil’s eccentricities during his stint, they remained friends and Neil later did a reading at Bruce’s wedding.
Neil became involved in local council politics as a Liberal Democrat in the London Borough of Hackney, and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Open University.
He was first elected to Wick ward on Hackney London Borough Council in 1996, and resigned his seat in 2000.
Neil on the Isle of Orkney when he was 28. He spent much of his twenties and early thirties a homeless drifter
By 49 Up he had found a sort of peace in Cumbria, was active in local politics and in 2010 stood for the Lib Dems in Carlisle, finishing third.
In 63 Up, viewers saw how Neil had married, but the union did not last due to unspecified difficulties. He is also a lay preacher and has a home in France.
His journey somewhat disproves the notion of destiny underlying the series; Neil previously said: ‘I think it was Albert Camus who said that life is what happens while you’re waiting for something else.’
By 49 Up (left) he had found a sort of peace in Cumbria, was active in local politics and in 2010 stood for the Lib Dems in Carlisle, finishing third. In 63 Up, viewers saw how Neil had married, but the union did not last due to unspecified difficulties. He is also a lay preacher and has a home in France
Peter Davies
Peter went to the same middle-class Liverpool suburban school as Neil and also had aspirations of becoming an astronaut.
He drifted through university and by age 28 he was an underpaid and seemingly uninspired school teacher in Leicester.
He dropped out of the series after 28 Up, when he came under fire in the tabloid press for expressing his views about the education system during Margaret Thatcher’s era in government.
He said in 2012: ‘They decided they were going to portray me as the angry young Red in Thatcher’s England.
Neil Hughes (left) and Peter Davies in 14 Up. The pair went to the same middle-class Liverpool suburban school
Peter (left in 28 Up) returned to the series in 56 Up (right) to promote his band, the Liverpool-based country-influenced The Good Intentions, and also appeared in 63 Up
‘I was absolutely taken aback, genuinely shocked, at the level of ill-will directed towards me.’
The director’s commentary in 42 Up revealed he later divorced, took up study of the law, became a lawyer, remarried, had children and moved back to Liverpool.
He returned to the series in 56 Up to promote his band, the Liverpool-based country-influenced The Good Intentions, and also appeared in 63 Up.
Tony Walker
Tony, a lively seven-year-old from Bethnal Green in east London, spent most of the first programme getting into scraps with the posh boys.
He dreamed of being a jockey and did manage to fulfil his ambition, albeit briefly, when he raced against Lester Piggott before becoming a taxi driver.
Apted admitted Tony defied his expectations. He previously said: ‘When Tony was 21 he was hanging out at the dog track… I was convinced he’d be in the slammer by 28.’
To exaggerate his ‘cheeky chappy’ personality, during 21 Up Apted asked him to drive around the East End pointing out notorious haunts, including the pub where the Kray twins murdered a rival.
Tony, a lively seven-year-old from Bethnal Green in east London, spent most of the first programme getting into scraps with the posh boys
Tony dreamed of being a jockey and did manage to fulfil his ambition, albeit briefly, when he raced against Lester Piggott
Tony became a devoted family man, going on to marry Debbie, who was pregnant with their third child in 28 Up.
She revealed candidly in 35 Up that they lost that baby, which put a tremendous strain on their relationship, but they went on to have another.
In that same show, Tony – who had moved to Essex – admitted he struggled being in a monogamous relationship, and seven years later in 42 Up he made the shocking confession that he’d committed adultery, though he and Debbie managed to work through it.
By 49 Up Tony owned two houses, including a holiday home in Spain, and in the last show, 63 Up, he and Debbie had settled in the countryside.
Tony’s later dream of becoming an actor saw him achieve modest success, with small extra parts – usually playing a cabbie – in The Bill and EastEnders.
Tony, pictured in 28 Up, become a London taxi driver. To exaggerate his ‘cheeky chappie’ personality, during 21 Up Apted asked him to drive around the East End pointing out notorious haunts, including the pub where the Kray twins murdered a rival
Apted admitted Tony defied his expectations; he previously said: ‘When Tony was 21 he was hanging out at the dog track… I was convinced he’d be in the slammer by 28.’ Pictured left in 49 Up and right in 56 Up
Tony’s later dream of becoming an actor saw him achieve modest success, with small extra parts – usually playing a cabbie – in The Bill and EastEnders. Pictured in 63 Up
Charles Furneaux
Charles, one of three well-to-do boys followed from a Kensington prep school, participated in the first three Up documentaries before cutting ties with the project.
He wanted to attend Oxford, but declared in 21 Up that he was glad to have avoided the ‘prep school–Marlborough–Oxbridge conveyor belt’ by going to Durham University instead.
Charles later attended Oxford as a post-graduate student and went on to pursue a career in journalism.
Charles Furneaux,one of three well-to-do boys followed from a Kensington prep school (pictured in Seven Up), participated in the first three Up documentaries before cutting ties with the project
He wanted to attend Oxford, but declared in 21 Up (left) that he was glad to have avoided the ‘prep school–Marlborough–Oxbridge conveyor belt’ by going to Durham University instead. Charles now makes documentaries of his own, most successfully as a producer of 2003 docudrama ‘Touching the Void’
He declined to take part in 28 Up and Apted previously admitted he ‘went beserk’ during a subsequent phone call which ruined their relationship, to the point where Charles attempted to force Granada to remove archive images of him from the films in which he did not appear.
Ironically he now makes documentaries of his own, most successfully as a producer of 2003 docudrama ‘Touching the Void’.
Andrew Brackfield
Andrew was one of Charles’ prep-school classmates, though unlike his disenchanted friend, he has appeared in every single Up documentary.
He famously claimed he read the Financial Times when he was seven – though later revealed he was repeating what his father told him to say – and went on to study at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Andrew was one of Charles’ prep-school classmates, though unlike his disenchanted friend, he has appeared in every single Up documentary
Andrew famously claimed he read the Financial Times when he was seven – though later revealed he was repeating what his father told him to say – and went on to study at Trinity College, Cambridge
He subsequently became a solicitor, married wife Jane and had two sons.
Andrew previously admitted that appearing in the programme every seven years is ‘not something I look forward to’.
In ’56 Up’ Andrew’s wife Jane talked of wanting a career after raising their boys.
Andrew, pictured left in 49 Up and right in 63 Up, has previously admitted appearing in the programme every seven years is ‘not something I look forward to’
John Brisby KC
John is the third of the Kensington prep school trio, and has subsequently taken issue with his portrayal in the documentaries.
In 56 Up, he criticised Apted’s decision to originally portray him as part of the ‘privileged upper class’.
‘I think that the premise on which the programme was based, namely that England was still in the grips of a Dickensian class system, was outmoded even in 1964,’ he told PBS.
John is the third of the Kensington prep school trio, and has subsequently taken issue with his portrayal in the documentaries
‘It didn’t reflect realities in 1964. In so far as the programme touches me I think it’s a complete fraud; it all appeared part of some indestructible birth right.
‘What viewers were never told is that my father died when I was age nine, leaving my mother in very uncomfortable financial circumstances, she had to go out to work to see us through school and I got a scholarship to Oxford.’
John has nevertheless appeared in all the Up shows bar two, 28 Up and 42 Up.
He became a barrister and married Claire, the daughter of Sir Donald Logan, a former ambassador to Bulgaria, where his mother was from.
He now devotes himself to charities related to the country, and hopes to reclaim family land there that had been nationalised.
He is a great-great-grandson of the first Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Todor Burmov.
Brisby said in 35 Up that he only did the films to give more publicity to his chosen charities.
Brisby said in 35 Up that he only did the films to give more publicity to his chosen charities
Symon Basterfield
Symon is the only mixed-race participant and was brought up in the same children’s home as fellow Up star Paul Kligerman.
He never got to know his black father and had left the children’s home to live with his white mother by the time of 7 Plus Seven.
Her struggles with depression were alluded to as the reason why he had been living in the home.
Symon was in care when the show first aired (far left) and is now a foster parent himself (right)
Symon dreamed of becoming an actor and by 28 Up he was married with five children.
However, by 35 Up he was going through a divorce and opted not to take part in that documentary.
By 42 Up, Symon had married Vienetta, who had a daughter, and they had a son together.
He revealed in 49 Up that he and his wife had decided to train as foster parents.
In 56 Up he spoke of his regret over his lack of a formal education, which he feels limited his income, and talked about his six children and his job as a forklift truck driver.
In 63 Up he told how his relationship with his children from his first marriage was improving and he was a proud grandfather-of-10.
In 63 Up Symon told how his relationship with his children from his first marriage is improving and he has 10 grandchildren
Paul Kligerman
Paul, who lived in a children’s home at the age of seven after his parents divorced, had dreams of becoming a policeman, but worried it would be too hard.
Soon after 7 Up, his father and stepmother moved the family to Australia.
He has remained in the Melbourne area ever since, and was seen in 21 Up with long hair and a girlfriend called Sue, whom he later married.
By 28 Up, the couple had two children.
Paul, who lived in a children’s home at the age of seven (left) after his parents divorced, had dreams of becoming a policeman, but worried it would be too hard. Right: Paul in 56 Up
Paul found employment as a bricklayer and went on to set up his own business.
By 49 Up, he worked for a sign-making company while he and Sue had two grandchildren.
Their daughter Katy was the first member of their family to go to university.
By 56 Up Paul had started work at a local retirement village, doing odd jobs and maintenance of the small units and gardens.
He was reunited with Symon in 21 Up, 49 Up and 63 Up.
By 56 Up Paul had started work at a local retirement village with Susan, doing odd jobs and maintenance of the small units and gardens. Pictured: Paul in 63 Up
Suzanne ‘Suzy’ Lusk
Suzy comes from a wealthy family and was first seen while attending an independent London day school.
Her parents divorced around the time of 7 Plus Seven and she dropped out of school at 16, choosing to travel to Paris.
She appeared to have developed a negative opinion towards marriage and parenthood in 21 Up, but by 28 Up she had a husband, Rupert Dewey, and two sons, and admitted her marriage brought her optimism and happiness.
Suzy comes from a wealthy family and was first seen while attending an independent London day school
Suzy became a bereavement counsellor while Rupert is a solicitor. They went on to have a daughter.
She has always expressed moderate disdain for the project, branding it ‘pointless and silly’ in 7 Plus Seven and 21 Up, while she swore she wouldn’t take part again after 49 Up, but did appear in 56 Up out of ‘obligation’.
She finally made good on her promise when it came to 63 Up; she refused to take part and Apted resorted to borrowing a phone and ringing her, ‘so she’d think it was someone else’.
When he revealed it was him, she put the phone down.
Suzy became a bereavement counsellor whole Rupert is a solicitor in Bath. They went on to have a daughter. Pictured in 56 Up
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