In 1999, the groundbreaking BBC series Child of Our Time began filming a group of babies from the moment they were born, to explore what would shape their lives in the new millennium. Twenty years on, these children are fully grown and can reflect in their own words on growing up during a time of extraordinary social change. Drawing on thousands of hours of archive footage, this special focuses on three of the children – Eve, Jamie and Rhianna – exploring childhood as the first generation of 21st-century UK.
Eve, Jamie and Rhianna share their feelings on starting school, finding friends and their turbulent teenage years. Alongside the fun of childhood, all have faced challenges – they can now reflect on how rebellion, family tension and bereavement have played a part in making them the adults they are today.
Throughout this special, a number of other children from Child of Our Time share their own reflections and experiences on some of the issues that have touched their generation, including mental health, sexual identity and the pressure to achieve.