Hestia’s Age Activity Centre in Tooting is to feature in a five-part daytime series, Holding Back the Years ,airing on BBC One from Monday 27 March.

The five part series looks into the experiences of different people growing older in Britain today and how they have changed over the decades. Each episode features a celebrity aged 60 or over, including Maureen Lipman, Arlene Philips, Ainsley Harriott, Bill Turnbull and Angela Rippon. They will explore a particular aspect of getting old that interests and affects them most – from relationships and family to health and wellbeing, pensions and money, to simply looking in the mirror and seeing a ‘new’ you. Through meeting inspirational characters, unearthing long lost archive clips and visiting places that do amazing work helping the elderly, the series seeks to take an uplifting, look at a subject often ignored.

The Hestia Age Activity Centre in Tooting aims to help people aged 60 and over to stay active. Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott attended the centre during filming for the programme and met with its various members. “It was a pleasure to see Ainsley dance and sing with our members,” said Eric Smellie of the centre, “and he definitely brought a smile to the faces of all those who met him and spent time with him. He has a very kind and positive way about him – a true gentleman that we would welcome back with open arms.”

Patrick Ryan, Hestia CEO said, “The Hestia Age Activity Centre is the jewel in the crown of our older people’s services at Hestia, and stands as the shining example of a place that provides for those people who might not have friends or family around to see them very often, enjoying the various games and activities provided as members of our centre do on a weekly basis. The centre delivers a range of activities that cater to all, including dance classes, tai chi, and exercise classes for those who want to get up and engage in an active pasttime, as well as providing stimulating and engaging activities such as chess, dominoes and bridge for those members who would rather prefer to exercise their minds along with their peers.”

The five part series will be broadcast each morning at 9:15am from Monday, 27th of March on BBC1.

Ainsley Harriott’s episode will be aired at 9.15am on Wednesday 29th March on BBC One.