63 Up - starts tomorrow evening on ITV

I did find it sad, especially wondering if that will be the last. I was struck by how most of them didn't enjoy the process, but felt they should continue. I'm glad they did.

It seems that although Neil seemed happy and carefree when he was 7, there was a lot going on at home that we didn't know about. In that brief glimpse of their lives, we can't get all the facts. His parents seemed to have failed him.

When I was first a parent I didn't understand how important those first years are, and how seemingly little things can upset and stay with you all your life.

Neil's story made me feel so down - although he was the best he had ever been since 7 - I had to turn it off. I really enjoyed all the other catch-ups, especially, to my surprise, John (?) who had turned from an annoying little boy - so painfully posh - to a very caring man who did much for a Romanian charity. I fully intend to be here for 70Up, if it is made, as I will only be 77!! No age at all (???)

It was interesting to hear that there was a touch of reality tv editing in that John said it wasn't mentioned that he had lost his father and his mum [and he] had had to work hard for the education he was intended to have. What a wonderful man he turned out to be; probably the biggest surprise of the lot. Maybe having the whole world and his brother adoring him at the age of 7 didn't help Neil, who seemed to feel he had to not let people down.

I wonder if Neils problems stemmed from his dislike of his parents?
I was rather surprised buy Neil's seemingly contemptuous attitude towards his mother. His father sounded unduly strict (neil said he didn't want childen when he grew up because they were always naughty) but perhaps his mother, too, was afraid to express an opinion in case his authoritarian father was unpleasant to her too.

by not buy!

Ailsa I, too, thought that Suzy seemed rather spoilt as a child and an extremely gawky teenager, but in fact I got to rather like her as she grew and was sorry that she declined to take part this time.

In fact, they were and are all so different but all seem to be people I would like if I knew them.

It was very heartening that both the Barnardo's boys had created happy families and also kept their childhood friendship, although they were on opposite sides of the world.

I wanted to ask Paul if his wife ever tried to make him eat his greens!

I was struck by that, too, Varian. It was nice to see that they still had a strong bond.
I felt very sad for Neil, who I thought was putting a brave face on things, as he struck me as very lonely.
I also felt great sadness for Nick and also for Lynn’s family.

Neil came over as a very complex vulnerable personality, with much inner conflict perhaps due to his upbringing. He seemed such a happy go lucky seven year old, but children that age are extremely accepting of their circumstances which they perceive as normal. It seems that his difficulties surfaced in his teens by which time he may have started to feel differently about his parents.

He clearly experienced serious bouts of mental ill health, and although he had had close relationships, including a short lived marriage, he came over as a loner. I think he may be exceptionally intelligent, but with problems in some areas and great insight and wisdom in others.

He had taken some time to find direction to his life, more than any of the other participants, but it seems that, since his forties, he had found fulfillment in helping others, both as a lay preacher and as a councillor. There must be many people who have come into contact with him who are grateful for what he has done, who probably appreciate him a great deal more than he might realise.

I have just found this on another forum - the very first programme. I think they are all on there. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LQZpiSfESE

His religion seemed to cause a bit of personal conflict, also...

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Thanks Humpty Dumpty and others for redirecting me !

I’ve watched this since the beginning , not generally keen on reality TV but this is different . Those little children have grown up a few years behind me and experienced many of the changes that I have . I feel their lives must have been influenced to some extent by the series , and I understand the choice to drop out in some cases . Watching 63 I felt real affection for all of them . Michael Apted asked them if they could see the child in the person they had become . I could see it , and it was reassuring to see how awkward shy or slightly arrogant young people grow into very warm generous human beings.
I’m grateful to all of them for giving us a mirror in which to see ourselves, and confirming that our post war generation still have a lot to offer.

It seemed to me that they had all mellowed with age and in a sense become more alike. Even their accents seemed less accentuated than they were at seven.

I wonder whether the shared experience of living from the 1960s to the 2010s and all experiencing some shared national events and everyday things like TV programmes and changes in society had made them more alike.

They all seemed quite thoughtful and reflective, but perhaps that was a result of being part of this unique experiment.

I only noticed three of them being asked about brexit, but perhaps they all were. The three I noticed had opinions which seemed quite insightful.

Tony had voted Leave, but had now changed his mind and if there were a second referendum would probably vote Remain. John had thought carefully about it at the time then came to the conclusion that it was absurd to ask for a simple yes/no answer to such a complicated question, and Neil thought it was as if the whole population had been told "swallow this poison - it tastes lovely" or words to that effect. He could see immediately that brexit would harm us. All of them remainers now but coming from different perspectives.

Tony also said he had always voted Conservative but would now vote Green..

Perhaps the girls declined to answer the questions about voting habits - very sensible, seeing what villification some receive nowadays for their views.

I still think the premise of the "child till he is 7" has a lot of truth in it; and Neil just shows how illness (mental or physical) can disrupt the expected trajectory. Poor man - his whole body language and movements were all wrong - such a sad contrast with the skipping boy.

Life is a bugger.

'Seeing what villification some receive nowadays for their views.' But that has ALWAYS happened, has it not?

Wonderful programme. Think this was the sort of thing Lord Reith had in mind for TV to achieve all those years ago. (Rather than much of the absolute dross they put on now). I have a place in my heart for Paul. Such a worried little boy who became a wonderful family man.

I was so pleased for Paul, too Alima.
Both the 'Barnardo's Boys' grew up to be lovely men.

I've got to watch the beginning again; they weren't in Barnardos for long were they? We went to a large house that had been a Barnardo's Home and the lady who now lives there said she had people visiting from all over the world and that they all had good memories of the place. Which I found quite reassuring. [it was a lovely house!]

I think Paul's father took him to Australia and then he went into another children's home there.
Was his father single and couldn't cope with a child as well as working, although I think they maintained contact?

I have just binge watched the latest programmes. Neil said that it was not easy to be part of and so that's credit to him. I don't have any favourites any more. Great stuff!

I only noticed three of the participants being asked about brexit.

Tony, the lovely little lad from the east end of London, who actually achieved his childhood ambition to be a jockey, and then went on to become a London black cab taxi driver, said he had voted Leave, but would now vote Remain.

John, the QC, told us he had thought carefully at the time of the referendum and could appreciate arguments on both sides, came to the conclusion that it was absurd to ask for a simple yes/no answer to such a difficult question, and so voted Remain.

Neil, who had a difficult life, but is now a lay preacher and county councillor said he thought it was quite an unbelievable occurrence. It was as if you were asking everyone in Britain to take poison, saying this is good for your health.

Three very different real people, all now coming to the same conclusion. Wow!

Like some others here I have watched - and been gripped by - this series from the very first programme, which aired when I was 14. I felt particularly moved by the recent episodes. In particular, I felt admiration for the stoicism shown by Tony, who had to give up is dream home in Spain as the economy stalled and then saw his income as a black cab driver suffer because of the rise of Uber. He and his wife strike me as the salt of the earth. Their close family ties area source of strength.

The family of Lynne were brave to take part - and how wonderful it was to hear about how this little girl, born without a silver spoon, had dedicated her life to spreading the joy of reading. She grew into an admirable woman, strong and committed to improving the life chances of youngsters in the East End - her life was a blessing.