Ainsley Harriott Holding Back the Years

For the first time in Britain,

there are more people over the age of 60

than under 16...

You're 83.

100 years on this earth.

We've got some amazing volunteers in their 80s and 90s.

..but what does growing older mean for you?

Difficult. Sometimes more than other types.

-I don't think you should be nervous about getting old.

-Yeah.

It's a wonderful state.

Our team is getting to the bottom of the key ageing concerns

you've told us about...

Deciding when to retire...

..being more sociable...

..keeping healthy...

..making your voice heard...

..or the cost of happiness -

and even if you haven't yet reached your golden years,

it's never too early to start planning.

So, whether you're an old dog or a young pup,

get ready to learn some new tricks

as we lift the lid on Holding Back The Years.

Let's face it, getting older isn't everyone's cup of tea -

but I've got some breaking news for you all.

It's going to happen.

Today, nearly 23% of the population is 60+.

So how can we sweeten the brew? Well, there is one way.

LIVELY 1920s JAZZ MUSIC

Scientists have worked out that cheerfulness

can actually affect our biological age,

and even have an effect on our life expectancy.

That's right - the happier we are, the longer we live.

-It's champagne time!

-Ooh!

'So, in this episode, it's my mission to show you

'some of the reasons to be cheerful about getting older...'

-OK, you lot, have you all got your bus passes?

-Yeah!

-Come on.

'..and there's a very personal reason why I want to do this.'

Now, I think you'll all agree that I'm a sunny side up type of guy.

-Oh!

-Oh!

Yes, I like a good laugh...

but this year I'm turning 60,

and I'll be honest, I'm a little bit concerned about it.

I mean, where has all that time gone?

Do you know, I have to say, there are so many questions in my mind,

so many questions about whether I'm now officially old, you know?

Will I act differently, will I behave differently?

What have I got to gain, what have I got to lose?

These type of questions, I think the only way of resolving them,

actually, is to go out and meet people who've been there before.

People who have become 60 or are older than 60 -

and maybe I'm looking for some reassurances.

BIG BAND MUSIC

Thankfully, there are lots of happy pensioners out there

for me to get talking to.

In fact, some surveys show that over 60s are twice as likely

to be happy than any other age group.

And why not?

We are, after all, the baby boomer generation,

who've enjoyed the sort of life

our parents and grandparents only dreamed of.

So are we really ready for our pipe and slippers just yet?

Well, I just want to find out

by hearing from those who, when it comes to turning 60,

have been there and done that.

And I know one place they all hang out - on the buses.

Now, to be honest,

I don't get my official bus pass for the next few months yet,

but I've got the next best thing - I've got my own bus for the day.

Ever since the Second World War,

pensioners have been riding Britain's buses for free,

thanks to their bus passes.

To get around town...

or transport them on jolly outings to the coast -

like these guys.

And nothing says London more than the old Routemaster,

which itself recently turned 60 years of age...

..although it's had a bit of a face-lift.

Hello, mate, how you doing?

'In fact, it's almost looking as good as 68-year-old Bob,

'who drives it.'

-So, Bob, tell me, how old are you?

-I'm now 68.

-Yeah?

-Only!

-Yeah, only! You're looking fantastic.

-Thank you very much.

-How long have you been doing this job?

-Er, now, 42 years, sir.

-Wow!

-42 years.

-And still love it, eh?

-And still enjoy driving that bus.

-Mm.

-Good job.

-Good job.

-Good job.

Now, this is a special bus for driving, though, innit?

Yes, it is. Very special one, and it's the only one of its kind.

-The last of the Routemaster, which is this one...

-Mm-hm.

Although the livery spans back some hundred years ago,

but it's basically the same bus,

-only it's a modern version of it.

-Wow.

-It's got the same charismatic look of it.

-Yeah.

When you go to the rear of the bus,

-you got the glass and the curve of the original Routemaster.

-Mm.

It's got all that.

So, Bob, you drive buses every day -

do you think they're very helpful for older people?

Yes, they're invaluable - that's another word we hear.

They're invaluable for older people to be able to get around

-anywhere where they want to go.

-Mm.

And they're getting more and more used every day, now.

-Fantastic.

-Pick up more people -

every time, when they get on with their bus pass, nice little smile,

-I give them a nice little smile.

-I'm getting one of them soon!

You get one as well, and I'll give you a nice little smile.

But it's the over 60-year-old bus pass passengers

I really want to speak to now...

-OK, you lot, you all got your bus passes?

-Yeah!

-Come on, then.

Let's have you.

'..so I can get their tips

'on how reaching 60 is actually a good thing.'

Pleasure. Lovely to have your company.

Come on, come on, come on.

This is a special bus we've got for you today.

'Ello, 'ello, 'ello!

Official bus passers - how are you doing?

All right, just one thing I want to check -

has everybody got their bus pass with them?

-ALL:

-Yes!

-Beautiful -

and looking forward to having lots of lovely chats with you,

and finding out all about your wonderful over-60s adventures.

OK, well, let's do this, shall we?

Ooh, hello, how are you?

I'm all right, thank you.

-It's nice being on a bus, isn't it?

-Yes, always.

-Fantastic. I'm Ainsley. Your name is...?

-Richard.

-Richard, welcome.

-Thank you.

Now, Richard, I'm 59 years old - how old are you?

-77.

-Wow. 77.

So, have I got something to look forward to?

Because, you know, people say,

"Oh, you get to 60, you're getting old,"

I still feel quite young and feel quite...

No, that was the case 50 years ago,

-but now, 60 is the new 40, or something.

-Oh, really?!

Or something like that.

-So I have got something to look forward to!

-Yes.

-Yeah?

HE CHUCKLES IN VOICEOVER 'And you know what? He's right.

'Researchers are even going as far as to say

'that, in terms of life expectancy, 60 will soon be part of middle age -

'which I'm sure Bob is glad to hear, too.

'But it's the message I'm about to hear next

'that really resonates with me.'

Hello. Now, who do we have here?

-Sue.

-Hello, Sue. Ainsley. And?

-Mary.

Mary. Now, you don't mind me asking, how old are you both?

-I'm 71.

-Mm-hm.

And I'm 67.

-I'm coming up to 60.

-Right.

-Bit concerned.

-Right.

-So have I got anything...

-No.

-..to be concerned about?

-No, it's great fun being older.

-Wonderful.

No going to work, and freedom. It's lovely.

-So what's the biggest thing?

-You get a life.

-Yes.

So, you can be spontaneous, you don't have to live to a diary.

-Mm-hm.

-Oh, it's just great fun.

"Great fun"? That's exactly the message I wanted to hear!

Do you know what?

This has been a really interesting experience,

speaking to people like that

and talking about the idea of becoming 60, you know?

Whether it's me or anybody else.

I think there are some real encouraging thoughts there,

real positive vibes, and...

Yeah, I'm ready.

Are you?

I was born in 1957,

and did most of my growing up here in Wandsworth, South London.

What a time that was to be young -

when the '60s were going pop with music, colour,

and all sorts of new people bringing their food and culture

to the streets of Great Britain.

-ARCHIVE:

-Let's go shopping, Caribbean style.

For the unfeeling husband who constantly complains,

"Can't we have something different?"

here you can buy sweet potatoes, okra, chow-chow,

sweetcorn and mangoes.

Just to think back on those times makes me feel young at heart.

I certainly got into the swing of things with my buddy, Mike -

nice fashion, eh?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm coming.

I'm a little bit apprehensive about this, Mike.

'We're meeting up today to reminisce about the good old days

'because, get this, psychologists say it might be good for us.

'Apparently, when we engage in a bit of good old-fashioned nostalgia,

'it increases our overall sense of mental vitality and energy levels.

'Wow! In other words, looking back helps us stay young.

'Of course, these days,

'a walk down memory lane is often "I can't remember" lane.'

I'm sure this is where they used to come, and...

-There was a little Asian restaurant there.

-No, no.

There was an Asian restaurant there, there was the United Dairies -

all the milk bottles used to be stood outside.

-Yeah.

-Can you remember that?

'But nowhere gets me more nostalgic than our old childhood street,

'where, already, the memory of good times are bouncing back.'

-Now, what about this, Mike? This was the old tennis wall.

-Oh, my gosh.

-That was the net.

-And can you remember, we had...

We put a chalk line in the road, there,

and you had to get the ball - you had to hit the ball on the wall,

and it had to go past the chalk line,

and if it didn't, you lost the points.

I think we were about, what, eight or nine?

Yeah.

'But this is where I was actually young - the house where I grew up.

'It's been over 40 years since I've been back,

'so I'm quite nervous -

'but the old house looks in good nick.'

-Hello!

-All right, guys, how are you doing?

-How are you doing?

-You all right?

-Ainsley.

-This is Mike.

-Glad to meet you.

-How are you?

-Pleased to meet you.

-How are you?

-I'm good, thank you.

-What's your name?

-Elvie.

-Come on through.

Oh, my word, look at this kitchen. Look how different this is.

How far back are we going?

It was 50 years ago!

I know it was 50 years ago, but when we came here,

there were some steps over there that went down to the kitchen -

I can just see my mum down there, preparing the food now.

Mike, look at this.

Wow, Mike, look at this.

This used to my bedroom - but look at that, eh?

Do you remember, a bit of Scalextric over there?

-We used to play Scalextric.

-Yeah!

We had it all the way, almost, around the room.

-Yeah.

-Obviously, the room is much bigger now.

-You'd go and get another bit of track...

-That's right, yeah!

..and extend it, extend it, extend it,

and you'd have to step over everything, like this.

Do you remember?

Hey, Mike, look at this.

This is so much bigger than it was when we were here, wasn't it?

They're obviously doing building work.

Yeah, I can see that - but there was...

remember the apple tree, there, we used to play cricket against it?

-That was our wicket, the apple tree, wasn't it?

-It was!

Do you remember, once, we thought, "Let's camp out here,"

and it got about nine o'clock, and we were too scared -

we saw a fox and we came back into the house! Can you remember that?

We ran in! "Mum, mum, we're not going to do that no more."

Oh, I love that.

'Now, as you can probably see,

'I haven't stopped smiling since I got here -

'so maybe there is something in what psychologists say

'about it helping us hold back the years.

'Ultimately, of course,

'it's the people who make the biggest impression,

'and so Mike and I are having a sit down

'to look through an old memory box.'

Remember how they used to dress up?

-Hey, Mike, look at my mum. What does she look like there?

-Yeah.

-So glamorous.

-Flock wallpaper!

-And the piano in the corner.

-That's the...

-The fireplace - the '60s fireplace!

-With the bars.

-Yeah.

And mum would only let us have it on one electric bar.

-Because it was so expensive to heat.

-So expensive.

And I used to put it on three!

-My dad.

-Oh. What a handsome fellow.

-Yeah.

-What age would your dad have been then?

-Oh, I don't know, Mike.

-Let's have a look.

-That's obviously on the stage, isn't it?

"Dad at the piano." I don't know.

That's my grandmother, on my mother's side.

-Did you ever meet her?

-No, she died...

I think my mum was the age of four.

Probably in her 20s, there. Looks so much like my mum.

My grandparents - these are my grandparents, here.

That's Mina Love and Oscar, from my father's side.

Gosh, and what age would Oscar have been?

-Oh...

-He looks in his 90s there.

Well, I don't think so, you know?

I think he's probably just in his late 60s there.

Not far from where we are now!

'Being in the old house and looking through these old photos

'makes me nostalgic for the past -

'But, you know, it's also a reminder

'of how blessed we should feel to be old today.

'There's absolutely no doubt that most of us have

'a much better quality of life than our parents or grandparents -

'a fact made possible by better pensions

'and vastly improved health care.

'So, although I love looking back,

'it makes me even more appreciative of all we have today.

'That said, it's good to be reminded

'that while the world may have changed,

'I've stayed the same on the inside -

'and I have proof.'

Honeywell Primary School!

'Yes, it's one of my old school reports.'

Read the first line.

"Ainsley has a great sense of humour and enjoys the drama of situations"!

-Enough, enough!

-OK.

-I'm not letting you read any more.

-Wow.

'Well, that was lovely -

'and makes me realise that, as I prepare to turn 60,

'I can draw on these memories for strength and encouragement -

'and, if it helps my general wellbeing, as the boffins say,

'then that's great, too.'

-Take care.

-Brilliant.

-See you, mate.

-Take care. Bye.

Now, I guess one fear people have about reaching 60

is that old age might be a bit...boring.

Well, back on the bus, Rose is putting me right on that.

I've never been so busy.

-Retirement's actually quite hard work.

-Mm.

I got a lot of interests, and a lot on, you know?

I walk regularly with ramblers,

I swim about a mile and a half a week, I do family history...

Um...

You name it, I do it.

So there is something to look forward to when you turn 60!

Ha!

And, it turns out I'm not the only one on board

celebrating a big birthday round here.

-Lovely! Hello, how are you?

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Ainsley, and you're...?

-Ricky.

-Ricky and...?

-Lillian.

-Lillian.

Now, I'm 59 years old.

How old are you guys?

-I'm 85.

-85!

In four weeks' time!

-Oh, what about you, Lillian?

-Same.

-Really?

-No, not four weeks' time, but...

-She already is.

Oh, that's extraordinary!

So what was it like for you guys, then, when you turned 60?

Can you remember that feeling?

I remember the day.

And the party that I didn't know I was going to have,

and thinking "60?!

"I don't do 60."

And then I felt the same at 70, and then at 80.

-Oh, wow!

-And I'm hoping to feel the same at 90 and 100.

Well, you're as old as you feel, they say.

And it turns out that's true as well,

according to a study by the University College London,

who worked out that those who feel younger

actually stay alive longer.

Well, if I'm going to be as busy as my fellow bus passengers,

and get all those activities in,

then I'm going to need quite a few more years after 60.

POP!

But do you know what?

Chances are, according to stats,

we might have loads more years left once we retire.

Life expectancy today is an incredible 85 for women.

GRUNTS

Bash! Bash!

Oh, look at them legs!

And 82 for men.

That's compared to less than 60 before the Second World War.

But how do you get to live into your very old age?

Well, I'm going to find out from a woman who's been there and done it.

Mum, this is Ainsley.

-Oh!

-This is my mum, Helen.

-How are you?!

-Helen!

-How are you?

-Nice to see you.

-Lovely to meet you, too.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Do have a chair. There we are.

Oh, thank you very much.

Helen Clare was born in Bradford in November 1916

in the middle of the First World War.

It was during the Second World War, however,

that she became a real household name, on BBC Radio,

and a touring star for British troops stationed all over the world.

Today, she's 100 years young.

But if you don't believe me...

This is 29th November 1916.

So in one hand I've got this,

this is the birth certificate of Helen.

And then, in the other hand...

SHE CHUCKLES

..I've got a birthday card from the Queen.

100 years on this Earth.

That is remarkable!

-Can I read it out?

-Of course.

"I am so pleased to know that you are celebrating your 100th birthday.

"I send my congratulations and best wishes to you

"on such a special occasion."

Of course, turning 100 used to be a slightly bigger deal

than it is now...

..even making national and international news,

back in the day.

It's always been a cause of great celebration.

"It's never too late to ascend" might be the motto

of Mrs Hannah Kettlewell,

who is celebrating her 102nd birthday

by having her first joy flip.

There she goes, on a flight she's waited for for over 100 years.

But the first 100 years are always the worst.

And reporters have always turned up,

to see what lessons can be learned.

Well, sir, you've reached a very great age.

How do you feel about it all?

I can't believe it, myself.

What with all this fuss made about me.

I don't feel old.

Out of the many scientific discoveries,

which ones do you think have been the most useful to you?

Television,

and the electric blanket.

Throughout the decades,

the number of centenarians has soared,

creating some real national treasures along the way.

At last count, there are over 14,000 over the age of 100 in the UK.

That's an incredible four times what it was

just over 30 years ago.

But it's those little moments I'm interested in,

and, boy, has Helen had some of those.

SHE LAUGHS

-This is amazing. This takes you back a bit, doesn't it?

-It does.

That was in Weston-Super-Mare.

And I was staying in the hotel there one night.

We heard a plane coming, and we rushed into the garden to see...

..and we got ourselves machine-gunned!

You got what?!

LAUGHTER

-He missed.

-Oh, he missed! He missed!

Oh, wow!

I have to say, wonderfully elegant there. Wonderfully elegant.

That was taken after the war.

It was lovely to have lights on, and...

Mind you, for a long time, you know, after the war,

we were still on rations and...

-..life was still a bit difficult.

-Sure, sure.

But it was lovely to think

-we weren't being chased up the road with the dive-bomb.

-Yeah.

'But of course, in Helen's long life, there has been lows, too.

'Like losing her husband, Frederick, 22 years ago.'

Yes, I miss him tremendously.

And probably always will.

Oh, but there's some lovely photographs of him all over here.

-Oh, yes, yes.

-Handsome man.

-He was.

-Wow, look at that, eh?

-But he was a wonderful musician.

-Mm-hm.

It's fair to say that Helen is an inspiration.

She is living proof that you can be happy in old age

by being a true survivor.

But what's the secret of getting to 100?

Well, there isn't a secret, you just...

You have to be interested in things.

You have to not just have your little circle,

you've got to be interested in what's happening in the world and...

what's happening in business,

and...just keep your interests going.

-Yeah.

-And keep your sense of enjoyment going.

-Just be positive?

-Yeah.

And that's the secret, is it?

Well, if there is one, yes.

'So what can we take away from meeting Helen?

'Well, at 60 it would seem that chances are

'we still have plenty of years and life left in us.'

'But I've one last surprise for her before I go.

'It's a very rare recording of her singing in 1937.

'Now, if this doesn't put a smile on your face, nothing will.

'Take it away, Helen.'

SHE SINGS: Let's Call The Whole Thing Off by Louis Armstrong

I tell you what, you've had the most extraordinary life.

So there's one favour I'd love to ask you.

-Will you have a date with me?

-Oh, yes.

-Oh...

Didn't have to ask much, did I? Didn't even have to cook you dinner.

THEY LAUGH

-I'll come and see you later.

-OK.

Do you know what? That was truly inspirational.

To think that I might have another 40 years left in the tank.

I tell you what, that woman has really given me a zest for life.

I think I might plan a bit of a party.

Now, you might be thinking that I've hand-picked all these happy folks

just for the sake of telly, but you'd be wrong,

because, as I mentioned earlier,

according to the Office Of National Statistics,

those aged 65 and 79 are the happiest adults in our society.

And that's certainly the view of the couple I'm meeting next.

Back on the bus.

-And who've we got here? This is...?

-Ken.

-And...?

-Beryl.

-Beryl, how are you?

-I'm fine.

-Yeah? Lovely!

Lovely to have you come along and join me on my bus, today.

So tell me, should I be worried about turning 60, then?

-Oh...

-I don't think so. Your title is Holding Back The Years.

I think you want to encourage the years, not hold them back.

LAUGHTER

OK, time for the next stop on my journey.

And for this one,

I'm going to need a little bit of calypso feel.

CARIBBEAN VIBES

I think it's fair to say that we Caribbean Brits

know a little bit about having fun...

like the famous Notting Hill Carnival.

We even like to have a good time at church.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

What can I say?

It's all about a love of life and being happy.

I even started my own career with calypso.

Well, sort of.

Check out the shorts!

In my experience,

this sense of fun doesn't diminish with age,

and my theory is that if I can find a bunch of older people in one place

then they will all give us some really top tips,

on how to live long and happy lives.

So I popped off the bus here, at Tooting,

and made my way to what on the outside, at least,

looks like a rather run-of-the-mill exterior.

Hey, don't be fooled.

Now this might look like an ordinary semidetached house

in Tooting Broadway, but in fact,

behind this door is a group of people

who have found their own way of holding back the years.

MUSIC: Jump In The Line by Harry Belafonte

This place is jam-packed with OAPs,

and they are having the time of their lives.

Move those hips!

If I'm going to find some reason to be cheerful about turning 60,

I tell you what, then it's right here.

So I start by asking manager Sarah makes it so special.

We have loads of activities going on, so we have t'ai chi,

dance, dominoes, Scrabble...

And it does it vary, the age group?

From 60 to about 94.

-Wow!

-Yeah. 60 to 94. Yeah.

Is it a nice environment to work in?

It is amazing to work in,

cos I just kind of see everybody together, it's just kind of like

a strong bond, like a strong family, everyone looking out for each other.

Yeah, but it's quite sort of... if you like, Afro-Caribbean,

that's the feel here,

but you encourage from any background to come?

Yeah, we just...

We just reflect the type of people that live in the borough,

but anybody is able to come here, we...

We welcome anyone from any type of cultural background.

OK. Time to get involved.

So hopefully I can pick up some tips about how to hold back the years.

You might want to take some notes yourself!

Now, in my experience,

if you want to get some Caribbean words of wisdom

then go straight to the dominoes table,

where I'm joining Eric, William,

Winston, and his lovely lady, Vivian.

-Yeah, how are you doing, all right?

-All right, thank you.

-Very well.

-Good. Who's winning?

Well, we are all winning!

LAUGHTER

Oh, lovely.

Now, I'm coming up for 60 quite soon.

So is anything one should be looking for?

Is there anything that I'm looking forward to?

Because some people are quite apprehensive, aren't they?

They get a little bit nervous about it.

-I don't think you should be nervous about getting old.

-Yeah.

-It's a wonderful state.

-Yeah.

Because what it does mean is that you can now begin

to learn from your experiences, your past experience.

Wahey!

Most of us, when we get to 60,

we think it's some sort of watershed,

and therefore we're going to go downhill.

-I can tell you that life begins at 60.

-Wow!

-Hey... Do you agree with that?

-Yes.

Life began for you at 60? What turned you?

What made it magical for you? What's her name? Tell me?

LAUGHTER

-Right in front of me!

-Ohh!

THEY ALL CHUCKLE

A wife!

# You can go to France or America

# India, Asia or Australia But you must come back. #

I think one of the reasons Caribbean Brits have this positive attitude

to life is because of their background.

Remember, most of the people here

would have been part of the Windrush Generation.

In their time, they faced challenges and difficulties,

all of which have had to be overcome.

They've even put it to song.

# I am a bold West Indian

# And I went to seek my fortune in England

# But when I landed in London

# I just could not understand

# I found the place very disappointing, Lord

# Yes, the sight was frightening

# And buildings were so dismal and so old

# Yes, brother, England was cold, Lord! #

AINSLEY CHUCKLES

But they say out of tough times comes an enduring sense of community

and great spirit. And that's definitely the case with Eric.

-I came from Jamaica...

-Uh-huh.

-..62 years ago.

-Wow.

So this was the beginning of my learning curve,

and I remember arriving at Waterloo from Southampton,

getting in a taxi,

and riding over Waterloo Bridge,

and bursting into tears of emotion because I didn't think I,

who knew about Waterloo Bridge from the cinema,

would be actually riding in a taxi in the dark

-in the fog, going to Hackney.

-That's very sentimental, that's lovely.

-Well, yes, it might be, but it was a nice thing....

-Brings you back.

It took me back to those times.

Right, time to get back to the party.

And I don't know what I've let myself in for.

Me singing?!

I don't know about that! LAUGHTER

That'll be something else.

# He's got you and me, brother

# In his hands

# He's got the whole world in his hands. #

Whoo! Fabulous! APPLAUSE

Now, when it comes to happiness,

it's been proven that food is as important an ingredient as any.

In particular, eating food we associate with our past

can trigger pleasure centres,

and in the case of a place like this,

that means a dish from the old country.

Something smells good in the kitchen!

-Hi, Ainsley.

-Hey, Val, how are you?

64-year-old Val is the cook, and I'm about to discover

that you're never too old to learn some new tricks.

What have you got cooking here, then?

Well, we've got curried chicken today.

Can I have a little dig around there?

-Not too deep, I don't want you to mash it up.

-No, I won't mash it up.

Look at... Look at that!

That is amazing, isn't it?

-Oh, that smells beautiful.

-Thank you.

-Are you going to get me working now?

-Yes. Can you do the peppers for me?

-I've got to chop up the peppers, have I?

-Yes, thank you.

There's no such thing as a free lunch around here, is there?

Eh? I tell you.

All right then, my love.

# Oh, Val. #

-Not too tight, darling.

-OK, Ainsley!

-Is that all right?

-That's perfectly all right.

How long have you been doing this for, then?

-Well, I've been working here for 25 years.

-Oh, wow.

-So you see a lot of people come and go?

-Yeah, come and go.

And what...what gives you the satisfaction, then?

What do you get out of it?

It's like working...

Well, my parents are in Jamaica,

-so it's, like, I've got aunties, uncles, like...

-Yeah.

-It's like family, then, for you?

-Like family, yes.

Are you going to be here for another 25 years?

No, I'm retiring in about two and a half years.

Yeah, what are you going to do then?

-Relax.

-Relax?

You're probably going to come back to the centre

-and let somebody else do it!

-I'll come and watch the cooking!

'But of course there's a serious point

'to senior citizens getting a good meal too.'

Chicken or fish next?

'According to the Department of Health,

'there are over one million older people who suffer from malnutrition,

'which affects their immune system, and therefore life expectancy.

'Places like this make sure everyone here is well-fed.

'Now, if I can only find out who ordered the fish.'

You're sending me into a whirlwind, you lot!

Thank you very much, Valerie.

Thank you.

-Can I join you here?

-Yeah, man.

-Is that all right? Lovely.

Oh, dear, I've done all my...

done all my waitressing and stuff like that.

-How are you all?

-Not bad.

-Yeah, you enjoying your food?

-Yeah, man.

-Yeah?

'Now, after all that graft,

'it's time for a nice sit-down with a lovely plate of grub,

'which of course is another great thing about getting older -

'you have time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life,

'to take things in

'and even to get a little bit philosophical,

'like my dining partner, Keith.'

-West Indians especially tend to turn to the church...

-Mm-hm.

-..to serve God after they get to 60...

-Right.

..because they fear they are going the other way.

Ah, so you feel if you want to go to heaven,

-you have to repent?

-Yeah.

-Is that what it is?

-Yeah.

Chicken or fish?

You go through that period of 60s -

you're still working and stuff like that. How do you relax now?

-What do you do?

-Well, I retired early, at 55.

Any regrets?

-No.

-No?

I even got myself a new wife.

Oh, really?! HIS WIFE LAUGHS

Yeah. Lolita.

-So, that's why you went to church!

-Yeah!

'I say, it's getting all a bit fruity around here,

'isn't it, all of a sudden?'

What have you engaged in, in your sort of later years,

that has given you immense satisfaction?

Singing, number one.

-Singing?

-Singing, not swinging.

-Yeah.

-Singing.

Yeah, and do you...?

Tried to catch me, this guy.

Look, I can't imagine you being a swinger, love, no! But...

'Goodness gracious! Has someone spiked the old drinks?'

Now, after having all that fun, I'm a bit exhausted,

so I've come out to the centre's chill-out zone - the indoor garden.

The good news is that they say gardeners live longer,

so maybe I can pick up a few tips on how to hold back the years,

even in here.

Lolita and 86-year-old Mary are my green-fingered guides.

How long have you been doing this for, Mare?

-29 years.

-You're joking!

Where does your passion come from?

-Love.

-Love?

Love, green-fingered love!

But the good thing about gardening is that you're never finished,

because, you know, the next day it needs doing again.

I also do a neighbour's garden who's not able to do hers,

and to me it's not a chore, it's something to love...

-I love doing and I look forward to doing.

-Yeah.

-Whilst you can still do it of course, yeah.

-While I can.

Even though you might get a little ache afterwards,

-that's nothing.

-That's OK, yeah.

But then I spend about four or five hours in the garden...

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-..every day!

-And this...

-What?

-This is... What do you call this, Ainsley?

-That's another plant, isn't it?

-There's two types of them.

So, Mary, what do you think?

Do you think I should find my recreation and passion

in retirement in the garden?

-That is if you love gardening and you want to do it.

-Yeah.

Because if you don't want to do it

and you're doing it because somebody else is doing it,

-that's no good.

-That's no good at all.

-No.

-It's got to... You've got to feel it in your soul.

-Exactly.

I'm feeling it in my soul. Come on, give me that watering can.

-Yeah.

-Where shall I start, then?

-Do a bit of pruning?

-Do a bit of pruning, my dear,

-just above the dead leaves.

-Yeah.

'Of course, it's not just West Indians

'who have pensioner centres like these.

'They're all over the country -

'run by the council, the church, charities

'or merely the local community itself.'

Two and five, 25.

'And what unites them all,

'no matter what the ethnic, religious or social make-up of them,

'is a desire for older people to come together

'to provide happiness in old age.

'There's probably one near you, too.'

Come on, then, we'll just have a hug instead.

'So, before I go, I just have one final thing to say to Sarah.'

Being a local person myself, you know,

I think that places like this centre

are just so, so vital for the community,

because I see around, even as I walk around the streets,

you see people who are...

you kind of just detect that they're a little bit lonely,

and places like this need to exist.

-Yeah.

-And more important, people need to know that they're here.

-Thank you. Thank you and the staff and everybody for that.

-Aw-w.

Thank you, yeah. It's a pleasure.

'It's pretty clear to me now that having things to be positive about

'and excited for is key to holding back the years,

'which brings me to something

'I've been looking forward to all day - my date with Helen.

'The bus is dropping me off at the Central London hotel,

'where she first sang way back in 1936.

'I've arranged for a very special treat in her honour.

'First, though, I'd better make myself look presentable.'

Do you know, Helen has a real zest for life

and I've arranged a little party for her that I hope

is going to reflect that.

Ah, there you go.

Let's go get her.

-Oh, aye! Hello, Helen!

-Oh!

-What do you think?

-You look fantastic!

-Oh, thank you, thank you.

Now, I would never have been able to arrange this date without

the help of the general manager here of the Grosvenor House Hotel.

-Oh!

-This is Stuart. Stuart.

Helen, it's an absolute honour and a privilege to welcome you back.

-It's been nearly 80 years since you last sung here.

-Thank you.

On behalf of the team, many congratulations.

-Oh! They're beautiful!

-Our pleasure.

-Oh, they're lovely!

'Now, this might be a date but I've also invited some others along.

'They're far from gooseberries - they're Helen's family and friends.'

Now... This is lovely.

You actually performed here in this very room 71 years ago -

you sang in this room - your first gig in London,

so we thought we'd get a fabulous '30s band,

-the Alex Mendham Band, orchestra...

-Oh, wonderful!

-..to play a little bit of something for you.

-That's marvellous!

-Take it away, guys.

-Ah!

# Happy birthday to you

# Happy birthday to you

# Happy birthday, dear Helen

# Happy birthday to you. #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

And here we are, Helen. Hey, guys. Everyone seated. Look at that.

I've got a lovely cake over there for you, and it says,

"Helen, happy birthday, 100 years and three weeks."

And each candle - there's ten candles -

each candle for each decade.

Eh? How about that? Everybody going to help blow it out? Ready?

Stand up, stand up, ready! One, two, three...

Fantastic! Everyone's getting excited now.

It's champagne time!

'And no 100th birthday would be complete

'without a glass or two of centenary bubbles.'

Cheers, everyone. Let's clink those glasses.

Cheers, Helen. Happy birthday.

'And there are two people here

'who are particularly excited to see Helen -

'her great-grandchildren Jeremy and Nathan, along with mum Amanda.'

Nanna's 100. What do you think of that? Do you think that's special?

-Yes!

-Yeah? It's very, very special. What do YOU think, more importantly?

I... Oh, it's absolutely amazing.

It's wonderful to have reached that age and for Nanna to be able

to see her great-grandchildren.

-I know. Amazing.

-It's really wonderful.

-And for them to get to know her as well.

-Sure.

They're actually very close to her so this is really wonderful.

That's wonderful, and wonderful that you could all come along.

I'll be honest, the chance of having grandchildren in the future

is one of the main reasons I'm looking forward to turning 60.

Not only because I love kids, but because it's the chance to

continue on a legacy that goes back to the people we met

at the beginning of the show - my grandparents.

Of course, there's also a selfish reason, too,

because according to a recent study, being active with your grandkids

decreases the risk of Alzheimer's, keeps you fitter and, get this,

produces a so-called love hormone that boosts your immune system.

Oh-oh, yes!

But the main reason I've organised this party

is to make Helen feel young again,

which is ultimately what Holding Back The Years is all about.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Yeah. Helen, we've got one more treat for you here.

-Yes?

Yeah, one more treat.

-This is Alex from the band and the two girls.

-Hello.

-Hannah and Serena Dunlop.

-Yeah. Hannah and Serena.

And I don't know if you remember - when we were talking, you said that

one of your favourite songs was Let's Call The Whole Thing Off,

and you probably performed it

-in this room 70 years ago!

-Probably did, yes!

And the band here, Alex and the girls,

and the wonderful orchestra, they're going to perform it for you.

Ah, lovely!

Isn't it lovely? Alex, take it away.

MUSIC: Intro to Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

-# I say either

-We say either

-# I say neither

-And we say neither

-# Either

-Either

-# Neither

-Neither.

# Let's call the whole thing off

-# Now, I say tomato

-And we say tomato

-# I say potato

-And we say potato

-# Potato

-Potato

-# Tomato

-Tomato

# Let's call the whole thing off. #

APPLAUSE

'So if being happy really is a way of holding back the years,

'what are the reasons to be cheerful I've found about turning 60?

'Well, there's the health benefits of nostalgia for starters.

'So dig out the old pictures

'or go for a walk around your old neighbourhood.

'And you have the time,

'because life expectancy is increasing year on year.

'Who knows? You might even live to 100!'

-It's champagne time!

-Ooh!

'It certainly won't cost you anything

'if you use your free bus pass,

'where you'll meet all sorts of fantastic characters on board.

'Alternatively, you could join a local community centre

'and just party all day long!

'And finally, think about all those benefits of having grandkids.

'So maybe time to start dropping a few hints to your own children!

'Ha-ha-ha!

'But I'm ending my journey in the place I'm now looking forward

'to spending my post-60 years...'

Home, sweet home.

'..in order to pass on some of what I've learnt

'to my nearest and dearest.'

-Hey, guys. How you doing?

-Hey! Where you been?

'That's my sister Jackie.'

How are you? Are you all right, Sis?

'And, of course, Mike.'

-How was it?

-Great, Mike, honestly.

And it was just like you meet people

who just make you have some sort of sense of...

of grounding about yourself, something to look forward to.

Don't be... Don't be panicked, don't panic about your 60s, you know?

-I met some fantastic people.

-Really?

Yeah, people who just made me feel really positive about

-sort of turning 60...

-Oh, wonderful.

-..and, you know, embracing life.

I tell you what, though.

One thing's for sure, I am not ready for my pipe and slippers yet.

No way, Jose!

'Not that they can resist taking the mickey, of course!'

I don't believe it! There you go! Look at that.

-And a pipe to go with the slippers. How is that?

-Look at that.

-That is fantastic.

-Now, you sit down there.

Hold on a minute, hold on, hold on. There you go. There you go, feet up.

There you go.

-Oh, dear.

-60 years old, pipe and slippers.

There really is something to look forward to.