The long-running ITV documentary series 70 Up concluded on Tuesday after 62 years, with a finale centred on participant Nick Hitchon's final interview, recorded just three days before his death from cancer in 2023. The series, which began as Seven Up! in 1964 and had followed its original participants throughout their lives, was originally meant to end with 63 Up in 2019, but Hitchon's terminal illness prompted filmmakers to produce one final episode under the direction of Academy Award-winning director Asif Kapadia. The poignant conclusion moved viewers and provided a deeply personal end to the landmark documentary.

Hitchon, 65 at the time of filming, had lost 60 pounds and was battling both throat cancer and the effects of a recent stroke when producer Claire Lewis persuaded ITV to fly a camera crew to film his interview in 2023, despite the series not yet being officially commissioned. In the recorded interview, Hitchon spoke candidly about his serious illness, his exhaustion from hospital visits, and the impact on his family, whilst also reflecting on his lifelong philosophy of pushing through challenges. He expressed how significant the series had been to him since childhood, stating that 70 Up would leave a profound absence in his life, having been a constant presence since he was six years old.