28Up Millennium Generation comes to BBC One this autumn

BBC One has announced the latest instalment in its documentary series Up which will air this autumn.

Generation-spanning documentary series Up, has followed the lives of the same group of contributors every seven years since they were seven years old in 2000.

The show will make its eagerly awaited return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn with two-parter 28Up Millennium Generation starting on Wednesday, 29 September at 9PM.

The BBC share: “The children were chosen from as far apart as Cornwall, the Inner Hebrides, Liverpool, London, and beyond, and came from a hugely diverse range of backgrounds. Together they painted a unique and personal portrait of Britain at the turn of the millennium.

“At seven, they were asked about love, about God, about money and about their families. At 14 they were preoccupied by the challenges of teenage life. And at 21 we found young adults anxious about finding jobs, looking for relationships and establishing their independence as they approached the end of full-time study.

“This time around, we meet our 28 year-olds in 2021, amid a lot of uncertainty about their futures. But between them they’ve found fame, started new careers, and fallen in love – as well as dealing with serious mental health issues, the pain of bereavement and broken dreams. Of our contributors, only a quarter have been able to afford their own home and only one is married and has children.”

You can catch up on past episodes online via BBC iPlayer here.

Director Julian Farino said: “I have worked extensively in drama but there is something uniquely special about filming the 7Up series over these last 21 years. To befriend and watch people grow up on film is extraordinary and is an absolute privilege.

“What I love about the 7Up series is that it celebrates the lives of ordinary people. It shows that every life has its challenges and dramas, and it is incredible to see both continuity and change in personality. It makes it impossible not to reflect on one’s own life.”

BBC documentaries Commissioning Editor Emma Loach added: “We are thrilled to announce that the celebrated Up series will be returning to BBC One later this month with 28Up Millennium Generation.

“Seven years on from the last instalment, our fully matured protagonists now find themselves catapulted into adult life, and having to adapt to a sharply competitive world, increased responsibilities and fresh challenges brought on by a global pandemic.

“Most often, the best television is comprised from the stories of real people, and the Up series offers the most intimate insights into the contrasting lives of 14 exceptional individuals in the UK, providing the perfect narrative on what it is like to grow up today in this country.”

Producer Melanie Archer commented: “We’ve known our contributors now for 21 years and grow closer to them with every instalment – so each time it matters even more that we do it right. It’s what makes the project so special and unique – it’s both a privilege and a huge responsibility.

“Our contributors didn’t choose to be in the spotlight, and most would actively run away from it. But they believe in us, the filmmakers, and in the power of the project to document their ordinary lives – we all feel privileged to be part of this unique, extended family.”

28Up Millennium Generation follows in the footsteps of the landmark 7Up, directed by Michael Apted, which began in 1964 and whose contributors are now in their 60s.