My Last Summer: A Review

Yesterday, I watched My Last Summer. This programme explores what happens when Big Brother meets terminal illness. Five strangers, a beautiful country house, one thing in common- they are all terminally ill and nearing the end of their lives.

The programme will follow the stories of Ben, Jayne, Junior, Lou and Andy. Aged between 38-58, they will be shown meeting regularly at the country house for weekends in which they met, got to know each other, enjoyed life and prepared for and discussed death. Lou has Motor Neurone Disease, Andy an incurable lung disease. The other three all have cancer.

In tonight’s edition the group discussed their personal lives before and after diagnosis. Viewers were introduced to their partners and families in some very moving moments which brought tears to my eyes.

Assisted suicide did come up in tonight’s edition. However it was only as a point of discussion. The group knew that it is illegal in the UK. Some of them wished it wasn’t- a view I do not, personally, share.

This programme set out to get the participants discussing and preparing for death. As a person disabled since birth, I have followed the issues it raised closely for several years. Personally, I hope the series will get viewers talking, too, about death and other issues around terminal illness and disability.

In particular, seeing the group together, how fast they bonded and how well they got along, reminded me yet again of something I’ve always believed in very strongly. That is that when you face illness or disability you need others in your life in the same situation. And no matter what the reason for the situation you find yourself in, the challenges you face are the same. On a lighter note, that idea is one of the reasons for the name of this site!

I will continue to watch the series with great interest.

After watching the programme, I was very sad to read that Ben, Jayne and Junior have all since passed away.