0:00:02 > 0:00:04- Everything has an impact on your life.- Whatever your age.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07From the type of house we live in...
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Oh, this looks nice.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Yes, it has been completely renovated throughout.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13..to how much money we have to spend.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Your wage ends up being like a normal working wage, which is good.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18What we put in our bodies...
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I don't think I've ever been fat-fat, but I have put weight on.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25..to the secrets of our genetic make-up.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27You are going to live to be 140.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29- That'll do. - I'll take everything I can get.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32So finding out about all those things and more
0:00:32 > 0:00:37- could help you mature brilliantly. - Or slow down the ageing process,
0:00:37 > 0:00:39just a little.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42We've tracked down the very best tips and advice for
0:00:42 > 0:00:45- holding back the years. - And now, with the help of our team,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48we're going to pass them on to you.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51To show you how to have the time of your life.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Whenever that may be.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Hello, and welcome to the show that I think you will agree is maturing
0:00:59 > 0:01:01like a fine wine.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Or maybe cheese. Whatever you fancy, really.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Here's what's on today's show.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Fiona meets the silver splitters and finds out how to have as pain-free
0:01:10 > 0:01:13a divorce as possible, no matter how long you've been married.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17When you're going through a divorce a will can be invalidated,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21as can promises that you have been making to your children
0:01:21 > 0:01:22to give them things.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Dr Chatterjee explores why keeping in touch with your sense of touch
0:01:26 > 0:01:28could save your life.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31People who are touched in an old people's home eat more.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34- Wow.- There is actually evidence that if they are physically touched,
0:01:34 > 0:01:35they eat more food.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40And would you take a test that told you how long you've got to live?
0:01:40 > 0:01:44That's the dilemma Bill has been exploring in Stockport.
0:01:44 > 0:01:50This is a way that people can understand what's their risk
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and they can probably try to have a more healthy lifestyle.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Nicki Chapman is asking,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58should blokes dress their age when it comes to what not to wear?
0:01:58 > 0:02:02If your waistline is going in and out, maybe you're comfortable
0:02:02 > 0:02:04in an elasticated waist and a slip-on shoes.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06How would you feel about something like that?
0:02:06 > 0:02:08I can't wait!
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Now, the latest figures show that divorce rates are dropping
0:02:13 > 0:02:17for every age except one - the over-50-year-olds.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Yes, and although separation can be difficult at any age, obviously,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23the older you get, the more complicated the legal,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26financial and emotional issues seem to become.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27But help is at hand,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31and Fiona went to find out why breaking up shouldn't be that hard
0:02:31 > 0:02:35to do, even for the people they call the silver splitters.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37According to the Office for National Statistics,
0:02:37 > 0:02:42the average marriage in Britain lasts just 12 years.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46That puts us the highest in the EU when it comes to breaking up.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Reaching the decision to separate is a tough one at any age.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54But when you get into later life,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56as well as the whole history of the relationship,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00there are all the other challenges to face, like legal,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03financial, as well as emotional.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Sue Plumtree got married in her 20s.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12But after 37 years of marriage, at the age of 60,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16she decided it was time for a fresh start.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Sue's perspective changed when she started seeing a life coach
0:03:19 > 0:03:20in her mid-50s.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Sue, so what was the turning point, then, after all that time?
0:03:27 > 0:03:29It wasn't anything so dramatic.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31What actually happened, it was a moment,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34where he said or did something he must have said or done
0:03:34 > 0:03:39hundreds of times before. But this time, I saw the emptiness.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42And I had been trying so hard not to see it.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47But ending the marriage was only the beginning of Sue's new life,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and it wasn't easy to start with.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54So you were 60, Sue.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58That is a huge thing to look forward into the unknown at that age,
0:03:58 > 0:03:59- isn't it?- Yes.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02When you're having pensions thrown at you and being told,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05"Hang on, you're 60 now, that's it, you are an old age pensioner".
0:04:05 > 0:04:08So how daunting was the whole process?
0:04:08 > 0:04:09I had to come to terms.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14It took me the best part of a year before I actually told him.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18I remember when I went to the solicitor, before I even told him,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21and I just burst out crying.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25I didn't know how you get divorced, because it never crossed my mind.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30So I moved into a little guest room, because we had...
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Neither of us had anywhere to go.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33The house had to be sold.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36But first, it had to be made presentable.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39That took a very long time, because he resisted, obviously.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45He never got himself a solicitor, so I felt I had to look after him.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47And I decided it was going to be 50-50.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49And that's exactly what happened.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52They sold their house, split their pensions,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56and even shared the memories they'd both collected over the years.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58But it wasn't all plain sailing.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Even though I was the one who initiated the divorce,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07I grieved bitterly. I grieved for nearly two years.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09It was very, very painful.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13I used to wonder why, because I should feel free.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15I should be... You know, the future beckons.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18But it wasn't like that at all. And I was wondering why.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20And I think it was the loss of illusion.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I think, because I just had such illusions.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26In the end, however,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Sue found a way through to a new single life in her 60s.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32But what about her ex-husband?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35He actually moved to Spain.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39For nine years, he lived a life he would have lived if I hadn't
0:05:39 > 0:05:44barged into it. And so I was happy that he was happy.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47In many ways, Sue's story is an example of a successful split,
0:05:47 > 0:05:52no doubt made easier by agreeing to amicably divide things 50-50,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55having enough money to start again in the first place,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and, of course, not having children.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01But others aren't so lucky when it comes to their silver splitting,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and that's when the lawyers usually get involved.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Vanessa Lloyd Platt is one of the UK's top divorce lawyers.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10She knows this area more than most.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17So, Vanessa, how is business in the over 60s divorce market?
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Booming. Suddenly, people in this age group
0:06:20 > 0:06:23are divorcing at the rate of knots, and they've said,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27"We've been unhappy for a long time, and we decided, when the kids
0:06:27 > 0:06:30"were off hand, there was a whole life stretching before us".
0:06:30 > 0:06:34People are living a lot longer. "We want to live."
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Indeed, Vanessa has had clients as old as 80.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Why do you think the change has come, then?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Because when people did get to that age, they thought,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45"Let's just carry on as we are".
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Well, people felt older as well.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50You look at pictures of your grandparents, they were old.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55But this generation, they just see themselves just raring to go,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57because 70-year-olds are saying,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00"Look, if I'm going to live to 100 or more, why not?"
0:07:00 > 0:07:05Well, one reason why not might be because, by the time you reach
0:07:05 > 0:07:09your 60s, a couple's finances can be a nightmare to unravel,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12which is why Vanessa recommends anyone who is thinking of
0:07:12 > 0:07:17silver splitting to follow her top tips in three key areas.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Tip one, pensions.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21You have many options with pensions.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25You can go for pension sharing, where you can share the pension.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Normally, if it is a long marriage, you get half, or pension attachment,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31where you get it later.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Or you can trade off the pension for more capital.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Tip two, assets.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Be sure, particularly in the case of a silver splitter,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43that you know what the assets are to be divided.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Tip three, children.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49When you are going through a divorce, a will can be invalidated,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52as can promises that you've been making to your children to give them
0:07:52 > 0:07:57things, because the court will look at the parties' needs first
0:07:57 > 0:08:00before what you promised to the children.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Well, I'm very happily married -
0:08:02 > 0:08:04most of the time, you know how it is -
0:08:04 > 0:08:06but even if I wasn't,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10I really don't think I could become a silver splitter with all
0:08:10 > 0:08:14the dividing everything up, the emotional stuff, the legal stuff.
0:08:14 > 0:08:15I guess the only way I could do it
0:08:15 > 0:08:17is if I had some really good support.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Luckily, there are places you can go to seek guidance.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26I've come to Growing Bolder in Bristol.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27Hello. How are you?
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Here, people over the age of 55 hook up to talk about the pressures
0:08:31 > 0:08:35on relationships as you reach retirement age.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Barbara Bloomfield is a Relate counsellor.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I think if there is any juice left in your relationship, yes,
0:08:42 > 0:08:47you should go to a counsellor, go to Relate, and try and make it work.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50But if you come to the end of the juice, if there is nothing left,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53you know, there are lots of ways of finding love.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54We've got a couple of them here.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58You are very much in love, aren't you?
0:08:58 > 0:08:59For John and Vicky,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03it is a process that has made their relationship stronger.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06In older age, there's always issues and things to look at,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08and different experiences in life.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Isn't there, John?- Yeah, and a lot of splitting up too.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12Some splitting up.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16You sound like teenagers, more than silver splitters.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21- Actually, we're really happy, you know.- That's lovely.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Barbara, what happens at Growing Bolder?
0:09:23 > 0:09:29We do nice exercises that get people thinking about
0:09:29 > 0:09:32who they want to be and who they want to bring into their lives,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34and what they want to let go of...
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- Or who they want to let go of? - ..which is sometimes more important.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38Yeah.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41While others are given the courage to move on.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45I was thinking, "Oh, God, am I just going to die and not...
0:09:47 > 0:09:49"..have passion?"
0:09:49 > 0:09:51- Because a lot of people do, you know.- Yeah.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Because I was trying to make the most of my life.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55I was trying to make the most of my life in other ways.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Yeah, I probably would still be there.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00You know, some people stay in a marriage, don't they? They think,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- "I'm 68, 70..."- ? Well, they do, but that is old thinking.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06You know, we are trying to get some young thinking going.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09And thinking, "I might have 20 or 30 years left of my life.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12"Let's make the most of it. Seize the day."
0:10:12 > 0:10:16And others have even found that, by coming to a place like this,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19it's made it possible for them to have a happy divorce.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23I used to be with Sheila, and people come to us and say,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25"Oh, I am so sorry you've split up."
0:10:25 > 0:10:28And it's, "No, we're really happy!
0:10:28 > 0:10:31"We're are doing new things, we're really enjoying ourselves."
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Well, I'm nearly at the end of my brief look at this new phenomenon,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38of so-called silver splitters.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41But what golden rules have we learned?
0:10:41 > 0:10:44It is fair to say, no matter how much you think splitting up is for
0:10:44 > 0:10:49the best, it's nevertheless going to be an emotional roller-coaster.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Next, consider your financial and legal situation before making
0:10:53 > 0:10:57any drastic changes. And, finally, remember, there are always people
0:10:57 > 0:11:02in similar situations who are willing to talk and offer advice.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06But I want to end back where I started, with Sue,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09to show that happy endings are possible.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11- Hey, Sue. - Hi.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13- Hello. Good to see you again. - And you.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Who is this rather attractive young man?
0:11:16 > 0:11:18This is the new love.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20- Hi, I'm Paul. - Lovely to see you.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- He is not new any more. Nearly two years.- Oh, lovely.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Well, we need to talk about this. Let's go for a stroll.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27My favourite subject.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Good, well, it will soon be mine, too, I'm sure.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Now, I'm dying to know how you met.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Well, I started a new group called Come Lunch With Me.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- Oh, how nice.- And he was one of the people who phoned.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45And, first impressions when you saw him?
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Animal magnetism.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Total attraction.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Me too.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Really? How lovely. Serendipity.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57I didn't realise that I'd actually fallen in love with him because
0:11:57 > 0:11:59I just didn't know what it would be like.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03But I found myself smiling afterwards for no reason at all.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05That is so lovely.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08So love, second time around, both of you, would you recommend it?
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- Totally.- 100%. - Totally, utterly, absolutely.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21- We like each other.- Equally as important as love, isn't it?
0:12:21 > 0:12:25More. Because it's a foundation, and it makes it long-lasting.
0:12:25 > 0:12:31I used to need to be right. Not only that, Jim had to be wrong.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35With him, if we disagree, I'm curious as to why.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- Oh! - It's very different.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40- And you're so good together. - Thank you. We are.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42It gets better and better.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49It was so lovely seeing Sue and Paul so happy together
0:12:49 > 0:12:52after going through traumatic times in previous relationships.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57They are the living proof, if there was any, that you can go forward
0:12:57 > 0:13:01with a new partner and go on to live a blissfully happy life together.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06All week, Dr Rangan Chatterjee is making sense of your senses,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10giving us great advice on how to keep them in tiptop working order.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Today, he's here to urge us all to get in touch with our feeling.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Most of us will experience a notable loss of one of our senses after the
0:13:20 > 0:13:27age of 40. That's eyesight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and balance.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31But if you know what to look out for, and how to get it tested,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33then treatment is available,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36not to mention top tips for preventing it in the first place.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41I'm Dr Rangan Chatterjee, and all this week I will be helping you
0:13:41 > 0:13:43make sense of it all.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51When it comes to our senses, touch is as important as hearing or sight.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54It helps us keep upright by feeling the ground beneath our feet.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00It ensures we are able to judge temperatures and feel pain.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04And it enables us to make emotional connections with people in ways
0:14:04 > 0:14:06that are, well, touching.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Losing your sense of touch can have a real impact on your life, and
0:14:12 > 0:14:17one lady who knows all about this is Yvette Wong from Liverpool.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20So, Yvette, can you tell me what's wrong with your feet?
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Well, with my feet, I just could not feel a thing.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27If I get a bowl of hot water in it, I don't feel a thing.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31So you can put your feet in a bowl of hot water...
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- Yes. - ..and you don't feel it?
0:14:33 > 0:14:34- No. - Wow.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38When I take my foot out, it's bright red.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39I still don't feel a thing.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42It's a symptom that can make the very act of taking a bath
0:14:42 > 0:14:46potentially dangerous for someone like Yvette.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48After all, who doesn't test the hot water
0:14:48 > 0:14:52by dipping their toes in first? But there's an even bigger issue,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56one that has already affected Yvette - falling down.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Have you ever fallen down?
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Yes. On the street. On the street.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05That can be quite dangerous if you hit your head or anything.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08I was tripped, and then I fall flat on me face.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11- Onto your face? - Well, what you call flat, I mean...
0:15:11 > 0:15:13You use your hands to break it, yeah?
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Yes. I hurt me elbow.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Every year, in England alone,
0:15:18 > 0:15:24around 250,000 over-65s end up in A&E after a fall,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and an impaired sense of touch is one of the main reasons.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31And I can see why, as we go for a brief stroll.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33So how are you finding that?
0:15:33 > 0:15:35I feel a bit awkward going round the corner.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36You get a bit unbalanced?
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- Yes, I do, yes.- So I can see that, even on your own street -
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and this is your pavement, so you know it -
0:15:42 > 0:15:44it's still a little bit unsteady, isn't it?
0:15:44 > 0:15:47If I don't concentrate, I get a bit... I go everywhere.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55Now, Yvette's condition is called peripheral neuropathy, and it's
0:15:55 > 0:15:59estimated to affect up to one in ten people over the age of 55.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The causes are many and varied,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05but it definitely increases as we get older.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09To find out more, I've come to meet Professor Francis McGlone,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12one of Britain's leading experts in our sense of touch,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14at John Moores University in Liverpool.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Professor, what exactly is our sense of touch?
0:16:17 > 0:16:20There are nerves in the skin that not only respond to a
0:16:20 > 0:16:22mechanical stimulus that we call touch,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26there are nerves in the skin that respond to temperature, to pain,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29to itch, and a more recently discovered touch-sensitive nerve
0:16:29 > 0:16:32that we're working on that responds to gentle touch.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Overall, there are probably 20 different types of receptors
0:16:37 > 0:16:40in the skin telling your brain about events in your body.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43But what happens in these receptors as we get older?
0:16:44 > 0:16:47The touch receptors in the skin are dependent on the skin
0:16:47 > 0:16:49they're sitting in. So as the skin ages,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53there may be some subtle differences in the way that these
0:16:53 > 0:16:56touch receptors can encode touch on the body's surface.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00But I think the most important touch receptor is in the joints and
0:17:00 > 0:17:03muscles. They do decrease with age,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05and these are the reasons why older people are falling over.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09So this frailty that you get with ageing is an indication
0:17:09 > 0:17:13that these receptors in the joints and muscles are not working
0:17:13 > 0:17:15as optimally as they were.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23There is, however, a very simple test that anyone can do to find out
0:17:23 > 0:17:26what state their sense of touch is in.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28It's called the Ipswich Test.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32With my eyes closed, Francis touches the tips of my first,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35third and fifth toes in order to test if they can feel it.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Yes.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- Yes. - You are totally intact.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46So I can say that there is no neuropathy there.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48You felt touch exquisitely.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51If you failed on maybe two out of the six,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55then that would be an indication that there was some possibility of
0:17:55 > 0:18:00neuropathy, and you'd be referred to a neurologist or diabetologist.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04There, they would test my reactions using these pen-like devices
0:18:04 > 0:18:06called Von Frey filaments.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10It's a far more accurate way of measuring touch sensitivity.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15So what are some top tips that we can all do to help protect
0:18:15 > 0:18:18that sense of touch as we get older?
0:18:18 > 0:18:20I think looking after the skin is probably very important,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23because all these touch receptors are in your skin.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25I think diet is obviously important,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28because these nerve fibres are metabolically active.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32They need the right kind of fuel in order to be able to work properly.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36So that would be your avocados and your olives and your nuts -
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- hazelnuts, Brazil nuts - those kinds of things?- Yeah.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41And, of course, you know what they say -
0:18:41 > 0:18:43you've got to use it or lose it.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Yeah, we have probably lost something that we used to have,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49which is a lot of barefoot contact with the ground, the grass.
0:18:49 > 0:18:50Do you think even that helps?
0:18:50 > 0:18:52I think that is a very good point.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Yes, take your shoes and socks off as often as you can,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and let the feet breathe.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But when it comes to losing our sense of touch,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04there is one cause we need to be particularly alert to -
0:19:04 > 0:19:06a stroke.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09It can be one of the most common and potentially devastating reasons
0:19:09 > 0:19:12people lose their sense of touch,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15which is exactly what happened to Kim Hughes.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19So, Kim, can you tell me when you had your stroke, and what happened?
0:19:19 > 0:19:24I had it in 2006, in the summer, 11 and a half years ago.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26I didn't know I'd had a stroke.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28I'd had all these symptoms for a long time.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I couldn't use my arm.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34My leg didn't work properly, I had severe pain in my head.
0:19:34 > 0:19:40So I went to my doctor and he did some a neurological tests,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and sent me straightaway for a brain scan.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46The results showed that, at the age of 33, Kim had suffered a stroke,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and it was discovered that her condition was genetic.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53My first thought was, stroke, old people, death.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55So it was a huge shock.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59And can you tell me how that stroke has affected your sense of touch?
0:19:59 > 0:20:02If you touch me on my right-hand side, I feel it.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05If you put a pin, I can feel a pin.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09But if you do that on my left-hand side, it's like cotton wool.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12And doing the Ipswich Test on Kim confirms the nerve damage
0:20:12 > 0:20:15which took place as a result of the stroke.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Interestingly, although each time you were able to say yes,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25it's quite noticeable that on your left foot, you had a different
0:20:25 > 0:20:28sensation, so the way that you feel touch, basically...
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- Is completely different. - Is completely different.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33The way I touch, as well, yeah, I can feel my left hand...
0:20:33 > 0:20:36- Yeah.- But my left hand can't feel my right hand.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Kim's story proves how we should be alert to our sense of touch as much
0:20:40 > 0:20:44as the other senses. If we lost our hearing or eyesight,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47we'd get it immediately checked out.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51The same should go for touch because it could tell your doctor
0:20:51 > 0:20:54that something like a stroke has occurred and they can start
0:20:54 > 0:20:58investigating why, to try and prevent it happening again.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Finally, there's one other aspect of touch that I'd like to...
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Well, touch on.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Back at John Moores University, Professor Francis McGlone
0:21:07 > 0:21:11tells me about this exciting new field of research.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16All social animals, all humans, have a nerve library in the skin
0:21:16 > 0:21:18that responds to gentle stroking touch.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20And it's not sensing,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23it's an emotional feeling that you get from that.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28Is that stroking motion sending our body messages and signals?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31It is, that stroking touch is going into parts of the brain
0:21:31 > 0:21:33that basically process emotion,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36rather than parts of the brain that process sensation.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44But what does that mean? Well, put simply, soft touch induces
0:21:44 > 0:21:49an emotional reaction, and the evidence is all around us.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52There's examples of what's called the Midas touch,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54if a waitress our waiter touches you on the shoulder when they're taking
0:21:54 > 0:21:57your order, they will get more tips.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00So the evidence in experiments has shown that.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03And for older people who might be seldom exposed to
0:22:03 > 0:22:07gentle physical contact, soft touch could be vital.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08And there's evidence of this, too.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13People who are touched in an old people's home eat more.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16- Wow.- There's actually evidence if they're physically touched,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18they eat more food.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Now, that relationship is mediated through gentle touch.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26So a gentle touch sensing nerve exists in all social mammals and
0:22:26 > 0:22:31it needs to be touched in order to promote survival and wellbeing.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35What we've intuitively known as humans for years,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37the science is now proving,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40that actually human touch is really, really important.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42So don't be afraid with your friends, with your family,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44even with your work colleagues -
0:22:44 > 0:22:48it's time to get out there and start giving everyone a hug.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53But, please, ask permission first.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Time now for our daily clip-based quiz.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Yep, all you have to do is watch the following and work out when
0:22:59 > 0:23:01- it all happened. - And it's a very simple question -
0:23:01 > 0:23:03what was the year that was?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07So here's how the game works.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10We're going to give you a few key events that all happened
0:23:10 > 0:23:13in the space of a year. But which year?
0:23:13 > 0:23:16And here's why you should play along, by the way.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Psychologists have said that nostalgia can promote a sense
0:23:20 > 0:23:23of wellbeing and vitality in us all,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27so this really could help you hold back the years.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Good evening. It's a boy.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57News of Prince William's birth was strapped to the railings
0:23:57 > 0:24:00at Buckingham Palace. For any announcement he may make now,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03you won't have to be at the gates to hear about it.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12And you can see if you got the right answer at the end of the programme.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Now, since the 1960s, life expectancy in the UK as a whole
0:24:16 > 0:24:20has gone up by 11 years for men and only 9 years for women.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- I can guess why that is. - Yeah, and?
0:24:23 > 0:24:25More work. We do all the work.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Well, the reasons why some individuals continue to live longer
0:24:28 > 0:24:31than others are not entirely well understood.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34But that might be about change, thanks to one rather impressive
0:24:34 > 0:24:38- laboratory that you went into, I believe.- Indeed.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42When it comes to life expectancy in the UK,
0:24:42 > 0:24:48men are expected to reach 83, while woman an even more impressive 86.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51But that, of course, is just the average.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54For every individual, all leading very different lifestyles,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58no-one really knows how long you've got left.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59But would you want to know anyway?
0:25:01 > 0:25:03If you could find out how many years you have left to live,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05- would you want to know? - Definitely not.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Why would you want to know? It'd be miserable,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11thinking you've only got a few weeks left, or a day left.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14If you could, would you like to know how long you're going to live for?
0:25:14 > 0:25:15I would love to know.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17You have a pension, you have money, you're thinking,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20"Well, shall I spend some, shall I buy this? Shall I buy that?"
0:25:20 > 0:25:23But you're thinking, "Well, how long am I going to live for?
0:25:23 > 0:25:25"I'm going to live till I'm 70, 90, I'm going to go to 100."
0:25:25 > 0:25:28You wouldn't worry that you'd get the wrong answer?
0:25:28 > 0:25:31No. I'm open to anything.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36We are hoping to live forever because we believe in God's Kingdom.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37In this particular life?
0:25:37 > 0:25:39I wouldn't like to go on like this.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40OK!
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Not interested. I'm old enough now to pop off any time, and I always
0:25:44 > 0:25:48make sure my room is tidy before I go to sleep just in case.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51When you go, you go. I just want it to be a surprise.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55OK, well, we got a range of answers there, but the reason I'm asking
0:25:55 > 0:25:58this rather philosophical question is because there is a
0:25:58 > 0:26:02computer program now which promises to reveal just how long
0:26:02 > 0:26:06you might have left, for those who choose to take it, that is.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11So this is it. It's called the UbbLE Test. It's an interactive Q and A
0:26:11 > 0:26:14which anyone between the ages of 40 and 70 can take,
0:26:14 > 0:26:19and the makers of this put together more than 650 variables and
0:26:19 > 0:26:24tried to work out which ones had the greatest effect on how long
0:26:24 > 0:26:25we're likely to live.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31The factors they looked at range from the expected,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34like smoking and previous illness, to the truly odd,
0:26:34 > 0:26:39things like how many children have you had, how fast do you walk,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43are you divorced, which ear do you hold your mobile phone to?
0:26:43 > 0:26:48Based on all that information, they then created this interactive test.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52And once you've put in all of your answers, which I've just done,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54the program will then tell you what it thinks is your
0:26:54 > 0:26:58biological age, as opposed to your chronological age,
0:26:58 > 0:27:03and how likely it thinks you are to survive the next five years.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06So all you have to do is press this button.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09But I'm not going to do it just yet.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13First, I want to find out more about how and where the test
0:27:13 > 0:27:18was developed, which means coming here to Biobank UK in Stockport.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22It's where the UbbLE test started life, and today,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26we've been given exclusive access to see what goes on inside.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Meeting me today is Dr Tim Peakman, the man who runs the place.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35This is all very 21st-century, isn't it?
0:27:35 > 0:27:37What's going on here, then, Tim?
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Biobank is a very, very large medical study in the United Kingdom
0:27:40 > 0:27:43which has been established to understand the causes
0:27:43 > 0:27:45of complex, common diseases.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48We recruited half a million people from around the United Kingdom
0:27:48 > 0:27:53between 40 and 69 years, and they gave us samples of their blood,
0:27:53 > 0:27:54urine, and saliva.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58We can follow people's health over time and we will start to see when
0:27:58 > 0:28:00the disease appears in the population,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04so that we can then use those data to build really, really powerful
0:28:04 > 0:28:07studies to start understand the causative effects.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12- Where do you keep it all?- We keep it in a very large -80 freezer here.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14We hold about ten million samples here.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Those samples are stored at -196 degrees centigrade to keep them in
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- pristine condition. - That is deep frozen, isn't it?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It is deep frozen, yes, it is.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27And this here, then, is the big freezer.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30It is. This is where we store the samples at -80 degrees C.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32I have to say, it's very cold.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36It is cold. Where we're standing is only -20.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38How long can you stay in here at any one time?
0:28:38 > 0:28:41I think you would struggle to get beyond 20 minutes and not be
0:28:41 > 0:28:44- uncomfortable.- It's like something from a horror movie, isn't it?
0:28:44 > 0:28:48It is. We use very large robots to either put the samples away
0:28:48 > 0:28:51or to retrieve them when researchers request access to them.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54And the robot doesn't mind being in here for more than 20 minutes?
0:28:54 > 0:28:56The robot doesn't mind. It doesn't mind.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Never mind 20 minutes, I think I've had enough.
0:29:01 > 0:29:02Over the course of five years,
0:29:02 > 0:29:06the UbbLE team worked with the Biobank to chart which of their
0:29:06 > 0:29:08half a million volunteers lived longer than others,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12before attempting to discover different medical lifestyle
0:29:12 > 0:29:16and socioeconomic variables that linked these people together.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Dr Andrea Ganna is the mastermind who put together the UbbLE test.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Today, however, he's not in Stockport, he's in San Francisco.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31But this rather hi-tech place can hook me up with him
0:29:31 > 0:29:33at the press of a button.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Andrea, great of you to join us. Thanks very much indeed.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39Tell us, what's the point of taking the UbbLE test?
0:29:39 > 0:29:40What are the benefits?
0:29:40 > 0:29:45Well, I guess one of the main benefits is to give an assessment
0:29:45 > 0:29:48for an individual of his own health state.
0:29:48 > 0:29:54This is a way that people can understand what's their risk,
0:29:54 > 0:29:58and they can probably try to have a more healthy lifestyle.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02You looked at more than 650 variables.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Which ones were most useful to you?
0:30:04 > 0:30:06Those that are self-reported.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09So, walking pace, so how fast do you walk?
0:30:09 > 0:30:12More cars you own, the less likely you are to die,
0:30:12 > 0:30:17and this is clearly not causative, but rather capturing some kind of,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20erm, social economic status indicator,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23as well as if you live alone or if you live with someone else.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27So if we walk fast, own more than one car, don't smoke,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31and live with other people, we could be on the right track.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34But it's the variable that was most useful to the professor
0:30:34 > 0:30:37which may surprise you more.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40The real point of our study was to examine which were
0:30:40 > 0:30:43more predictive of mortality.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47The strongest predictor was the self-reported health.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51So how well people rate their own health.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54So that's interesting. So fundamentally you are, by and large,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58- as healthy as you feel you are. - Correct.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01So there was really only one important question left.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05You come from Italy, you do a lot of your work in the United States,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08where you are now, and in Sweden, but key question -
0:31:08 > 0:31:11have you ever been to Stockport?
0:31:12 > 0:31:14No. No, I saw it on Google maps, though.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17- On street view.- That's not the same. That's just not the same.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Yeah, that's not the same. Yeah, yeah.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Andrea, thank you very much indeed. That was most interesting.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23- Thank you.- Bye-bye.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Of course, not everyone thinks online tests like this
0:31:27 > 0:31:32are a good idea. A recent report said 21% of us, more than a fifth,
0:31:32 > 0:31:36are prone to self diagnosis, meaning we check the internet
0:31:36 > 0:31:39and decide which illnesses we're suffering from.
0:31:39 > 0:31:44It's a situation that can lead to extreme health anxiety in some.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46Our GP, Dr Rangan Chatterjee,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49believes a balance needs to be struck.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52I don't think there's anything wrong with the UbbLE test as a guide.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55You see, the more information we have about our health, the better.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58It allows us to make better choices about seeking treatment,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00or even changing our lifestyle.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03However, as long as you take this information as a guide,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06and if you're not sure, you go and discuss it with your doctor,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09I think for most of us, there's no real problem.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Time, then, to take this news to the people,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17so I have literally set out my stall to do some market research.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Come on, then. Come and get your fortunes told.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Madam, are you still going to be here in five years' time?
0:32:22 > 0:32:24I hope so. Come and make sure.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28- Do you smoke tobacco now? - No.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29- Have you ever smoked? - No.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31I used to smoke every day.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33How many cars or vans are owned are available for use by you or
0:32:33 > 0:32:37- members or your household? - None. Public transport and walk.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40Your walking pace - slow, steady, brisk or none of the above.
0:32:40 > 0:32:41Oh, steady.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Brisk. Twice a day with my dogs.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Oh, well, that's good. How would you rate your overall health?
0:32:45 > 0:32:48- Excellent, I think.- You did not hesitate there for a second,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- did you?- No.- You are going to live to be 140, I know.
0:32:50 > 0:32:51I'm very dull, aren't I?
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Your UbbLE age, congratulations, is 45.
0:32:54 > 0:32:5645, marvellous.
0:32:56 > 0:32:57- That's brilliant. - It is.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Your five year risk of dying is 3.5%.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03- Oh, right.- Which is very low. - That's OK.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Your five year risk of dying is a mere 1.9%.
0:33:06 > 0:33:07- Oh, that's excellent. - It is.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10- You can take that down to the bookies, can't you?- I certainly can.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13I can book that holiday now.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16So your risk of dying in the next five years is a mere 7%.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Oh, I don't think me money will last.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Now, I know what you're thinking, you're thinking,
0:33:24 > 0:33:25"Bill, what about your age?"
0:33:25 > 0:33:30Well, I have taken the test, and the answer is in this envelope.
0:33:30 > 0:33:37I can now reveal that my UbbLE age is a mere 51 years,
0:33:37 > 0:33:39give or take five years.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44And my five-year risk is just 2.2%, which I'm pretty pleased about.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49See, clean living, clear conscience. That's the way to go.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Now, you must have heard the old saying that clothes maketh the man.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Well, can they maketh them look younger?
0:33:58 > 0:33:59Or just sillier, maybe.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02It's a question that Nicki Chapman wants an answer to.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Once a woman is over the age of 40, everyone feels they have
0:34:07 > 0:34:10the right to pass comment on what she's wearing.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16I have heard it all.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20Look at what she's wearing, "It's too tight, it's too short,"
0:34:20 > 0:34:22or the worst one, "It's too young".
0:34:22 > 0:34:27Because let's be honest, no-one wants to be mutton dressed as lamb.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32Men have it much easier, or so I thought.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35But in recent years, there's been a backlash against men who are
0:34:35 > 0:34:37not growing old tastefully.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42Now men are also facing the dilemma of how to dress their age.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51Gustav from The Chap magazine is someone who thinks that those rules
0:34:51 > 0:34:54need to be strictly adhered to.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59I turned 35, and I thought,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02"Here comes middle-age, I need to look sharp for middle-age,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05"and not like a teenager". It was a eureka moment.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09- Right.- As you get older, go for more colour, more flamboyance.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11- A bit of jewellery... - A little bit of Peacock in you.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15Yes, exactly, bit of peacocking. Some nice cuff links.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17You know, maybe a tie bar.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20I'm wearing a grey suit. Tomorrow, I might wear a brown tweed suit.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24- You look fabulous.- Well, thank you very much.- You do look fabulous.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- So do you.- But would you go shopping in that outfit?
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Well, yes. Why wouldn't I?
0:35:31 > 0:35:35What are the rules of dressing for men over 40?
0:35:35 > 0:35:3740 to 90, there we go.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39OK. Thou shalt always wear tweed.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42A suit of some sort, or a jacket of some sort.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44You know, or a pair of proper trousers.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46What about - I'm go to throw this one in - shorts?
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Shorts. Er, no.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- No. - There's no need to wear shorts.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52It's a myth. You don't have to wear shorts to keep cool.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56You just wear a pair of very light linen trousers and no socks,
0:35:56 > 0:35:57and a cravat.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04And then there's the vexed question of trainers.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Thou shalt never, ever wear plimsolls when not doing sport.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13Once you hit 40, put the jeans away, put the trainers away,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16put the baseball caps away, stop trying to pretend you're a teenager.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Do you think people treat you differently when you dress up?
0:36:19 > 0:36:21I always dress up, so I don't know.
0:36:22 > 0:36:27OK, well, it's pretty clear where Gustav stands when it comes to
0:36:27 > 0:36:30dressing your age, which makes me think he's not going to
0:36:30 > 0:36:34entirely approve of the chap I've invited along to join us now.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Like Gustav, Simon is in his 50s,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47but he still dresses the way he did when he was in his teens -
0:36:47 > 0:36:50as a proud skinhead.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Ah, Simon, come and join us.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Great timing. How are you, sir?
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- I'm very well, thank you. - Can I introduce you to Gustav?
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Hi, Gustav.- Gustav, this is Simon. - Pleased to meet you.- Simon.- Hello.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02So, Simon, how long have you been dressing like this?
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Longer than I care to remember, really.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09I got into it when I was about 13 years old, I suppose.
0:37:09 > 0:37:10Cos in the '80s it was sort of...
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Youth culture was what it was all about, you know.
0:37:12 > 0:37:13Everybody had to be in a tribe.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Some of them only lasted a few months, others have lasted...
0:37:16 > 0:37:18- A lifetime.- ..decades. Lifetimes, yeah.- A lifetime.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21But in all honestly, are there times when you think,
0:37:21 > 0:37:23"I'm just going to have to let it go"?
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Well, to be honest, I never would have imagined being a skinhead after
0:37:27 > 0:37:29- 20 years old.- Really?- Because when I was a kid, we were a youth army,
0:37:29 > 0:37:31you know, but I think I'll always wear it.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34I always have, so... I've been doing it for 40 years.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37So skinheads rule and will continue so?
0:37:37 > 0:37:41- They will never die.- Gustav, would you change the way Simon dresses?
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I was a punk when I was young.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- You know, I had spiky hair and... - It's all coming out now, isn't it?
0:37:46 > 0:37:50Well, exactly, so I'm actually torn.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Because the one hand, I approve of people who...
0:37:53 > 0:37:55You know, who are fussy about their clothes.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- Yeah. - On the other hand, I embrace change
0:37:58 > 0:38:01a bit more, perhaps, and I've just accepted that with
0:38:01 > 0:38:03the coming of middle age, I've had to find a new way of dressing
0:38:03 > 0:38:05which isn't the way I dressed when I was young.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13So, dress your age, or stay forever youthful - which of them is right?
0:38:13 > 0:38:17It looks like we're going to need a judge, and I know just the bloke.
0:38:17 > 0:38:22Sean Chapman is a celebrity stylist living here in Brighton.
0:38:22 > 0:38:28Now, Sean, as our style guru, can I introduce you to Gustav and Simon?
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Gentlemen that have very different philosophies when it comes to
0:38:31 > 0:38:33what is age-appropriate and styling.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37I'm guessing, Gustav, the kind of clothes you wear are the sort
0:38:37 > 0:38:40of things that people expect somebody of your age to wear.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41He's a snappy dresser.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Well, you can see the quality, can't you, in everything?
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Every bit of fabric. And, Simon, you are following
0:38:47 > 0:38:49a proper skinhead youth culture look.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52That attention to detail is something that you look for,
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- isn't it?- Yeah, absolutely, yeah. - Does there ever come a point in life
0:38:55 > 0:38:58when you have to say, "Enough is enough, how old are you?"
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Oh, I don't know. Your body changes as you get older,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02and you might want to make some changes.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06But, you know, if your waistline's going in and out, then maybe you're
0:39:06 > 0:39:09comfortable in an elasticated waist and a slip-on shoe.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11How would you feel about something like that?
0:39:11 > 0:39:12I can't wait!
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Do you think you could restyle Simon?
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Well, there is a trend called normcore.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- Normcore?- Mm. Normcore.- What does that stand for?
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Well, I think you can probably guess. It's got the word norm in it.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Yes, norm as in normal.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Sean, you're not telling me this is really fashionable these days?
0:39:40 > 0:39:43It's not my sort of thing, but I kind get it.
0:39:43 > 0:39:44So this is normcore?
0:39:44 > 0:39:46- This is normcore. - Casual clothes, comfy clothes...
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Casual clothes, I mean, the two things are sewn together,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52one thing over your head, anything with an elasticated waist...
0:39:52 > 0:39:54- So minimum... - No challenging colours.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58- Minimum effort.- Minimum effort, and nothing remarkable.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Are you going to blend into the crowd if you wear clothes like this?
0:40:01 > 0:40:03I kind of think that's the point.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09Only five minutes in the changing room, but...
0:40:09 > 0:40:10..what a difference.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13And in just five minutes, Simon is a whole new man.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Simon, unveil your new you.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Yeah! You are a picture of normcore. How do you feel?
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Can I have a shovel to dig a hole and bury myself, please?
0:40:29 > 0:40:30That is normcore to the core.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- Yeah.- You can see that you're not comfortable in it.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35It has taken away your sparkle.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38The jumper, if it was a stand-alone jumper...
0:40:38 > 0:40:42OK. The shirt, if it was a stand-alone shirt, perhaps.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- What about the shoes? - I'm not the man.- Look, slip-ons!
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Slip on, you don't even have to bend over to put them on.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48They're not even real crocodile! What are they?
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- Are they plastic or something? - They're comfortable shoes.
0:40:51 > 0:40:52They're not even comfortable!
0:40:52 > 0:40:57For me, the one thing it has done is made you look a lot older.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59What, I look 25 now, do I?
0:41:03 > 0:41:07Have we given Simon a new maturity, or just made him look like,
0:41:07 > 0:41:11well, an old geezer? It's time to put it to the people's jury.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16What would you go for, skinhead or normcore?
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Simon is our guinea pig.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21We have got two different images.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Which one works best?
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- I prefer that one. - The skinhead?- Yeah.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- See, I prefer that one.- Do you? - I do actually prefer that one.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30And what is it about that, country casuals,
0:41:30 > 0:41:31what is it about that that you like so much?
0:41:31 > 0:41:33I'm a big fan of the flat cap look.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Why do you prefer this outfit, the jeans, the jacket, the boots?
0:41:37 > 0:41:41Because he's wearing what his dad would wear, but he's not his dad,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- he's a man of now. - The skinhead look is winning.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47- Yeah, mate, we rule the waves. - You are a big hit with the ladies.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50I would say the one on the right.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52You like that kind of casual look with the anorak
0:41:52 > 0:41:54- which he's wearing now for us? - Yeah!
0:41:55 > 0:41:58- I'm going to go for the right one. - Unanimous?- Yeah.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02- Is age a number when it comes to fashion?- No.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- How do you feel? - They got it spot-on.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- That one.- What is it about that sort of skinhead look that you like?
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Well, he looks like he's into something.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13He looks like he's into his music.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14I prefer this to this.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16He looks quite relaxed to me.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Perhaps a combination of both would be...
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- We should merge the two, should we? - Yes, yes.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26So, there you have it.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30When it comes to styling, one size doesn't fit all.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33But for me as a woman, the important thing about a man's
0:42:33 > 0:42:36dress sense is that he does make the effort,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39and that he is true to himself.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Just got time to give you the answer to our what was the year that was
0:42:45 > 0:42:47archived quiz. Fiona...
0:42:47 > 0:42:48It was...
0:42:48 > 0:42:50- 1982. - What happened then?
0:42:50 > 0:42:52The Mary Rose, the Tudor ship,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54was recovered from the bottom of the ocean.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57So we'll be revealing more treasure for you the same time tomorrow.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59Boom, boom! Bye-bye.