Peter, one of the original 7 Up kids from Liverpool, has revealed a “frustrating” moment in his life that led to his comeback to the series, after “refusing” to return due to the backlash he had received.
Peter was one of the original schoolboys on the series when it first aired in 1964, and shared a glimpse into his life alongside 13 other children. Over the years, they continued to share their journeys with ITV; however, Peter chose to leave the franchise after his political comments sparked a reaction.
Return for 70 Up: The Final Chapter
He is now returning for 70 Up: The Final Chapter, after his comeback in 56 Up. Ahead of the show’s final episodes, which will pay tribute to the cast members who have sadly died, Peter and his co-star Bruce appeared on BBC Breakfast.
They spoke about the “rollercoaster” journey they’d had over the years, and spoke to presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay about the series ending. Bruce commented on how it was “strange” looking back at the previous episodes of the franchise, saying: “Seeing Little Bruce, I’d like to say to him, life will be alright, and just reassure him. He looks like a worried soul.”
Peter's advice to his younger self
Meanwhile, Peter said, “I would tell baby Peter not to listen to adults’ advice. And be yourself. Not strictly, don’t listen to adults’ advice, but remember, just because people are older than you, that doesn’t necessarily mean they know any better than you. I’d tell him to be himself and to stop fretting about stuff.”
Peter went on to talk about taking a break from Seven Up over the years. Jon asked him: “You pulled out for a while, didn’t you? Because you said some political things, anti-Thatcher things, and you got a bit of backlash for that. But you’re back in it now. What persuaded you to return?”
What persuaded Peter to return
Peter replied: “I kept in touch with Michael Apted and Claire Lewis, the producer, over the years and became friends with them really. Every time, every seven years, they would get back in touch and say, ‘Do you want to come back?’ and I would say, 'No'.
“Then when we were coming up to 56 Up, the band I played in and play in had a record coming out, which I was very pleased with. But nobody was taking any notice or buying it, and it was so frustrating, and I refused Michael’s request to come back.
“And my wife said to me, ‘You really need to think about this, put these two things together. You want to promote your music, here’s an opportunity’.”
He went on: “I view it as redefining my relationship with ITV. We both got something out of it, and in any event, that was and is my life,” reports the Mirror.
Bruce's support and the final episodes
Remarking on the backlash Peter had received, Bruce added, “I don’t blame Peter at all. Some of the things that were said about him at 28 were not nice at all, and I don’t blame you at all for coming back and showing off your musical talent.”
He continued by sharing the “manic” experience filming the final episodes, saying: “Current reality television is scripted and a bit contrived, and looking for moments of drama and tensions. And this, they drop in and see where we’re at, it’s quite natural. We’re not asked to do anything out of the ordinary.
“This time, they said, what do you get up to, and I made a list. We tried to cram as much of that in in two days, which was quite manic while they were doing it, and most of them don’t use it because they have to make the whole show. I wouldn’t class it as reality TV, it’s a social documentary.”
He added, “I’m quite proud to have contributed to it, and if people reflect on their own lives, and enjoy it and are entertained by it, I’m quite proud to have contributed to it.”
70 Up: The Final Chapter airs on Tuesday 15 September at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
