David Tennant & Danny Dyer Get Grilled in ITV's 'The Assembly' Trailer
David Tennant in ITV's "The Assembly"
(Photo: ITV)
Our first look at ITV's The Assembly is here, and it looks just as surprising and heartwarming as its predecessors. The four-part series is an adaptation of Les Rencontres du Papotin, a unique interview series that features well-known public figures — from celebrities and sports stars to politicians — sitting down for a no-holds-barred chat with a group of autistic, neurodivergent, and/or learning-disabled journalists. The result is something that's both deeply charming and surprisingly incisive, giving those taking part the chance to consider questions they've likely never been asked before in a public setting.
The original French version featured appearances by President Emmanuel Macron and Killing Eve star Camille Cottin. U.K. network ITV snapped up the British take on the property after a BBC one-off pilot sent a heartwarming clip featuring Good Omens star Michael Sheen viral last year. The first full season of this British incarnation is scheduled to arrive at the end of April 2025 and will feature four notable faces from diverse professions.
The first batch of episodes will feature interviews with Rivals co-stars David Tennant and Danny Dyer, as well as Little Mix member Jade Thirlwall and football star Gary Lineker, whose episode will air just as his twenty-five-year run as host of Match of the Day is about to conclude. What they'll be asked about is genuinely anyone's guess, but the recently released trailer hints that topics will include everything from religion and family life to class issues and more.
Here's the series' synopsis.
Each episode of The Assembly sees a different celebrity forced to cast aside everything they were ever taught by their media trainers as they face their most honest, funny, chaotic – and heartwarming – interview yet.
“We’re delighted that such an esteemed group of famous faces have agreed to be part of this fresh and distinct format coming to ITV1 and ITVX soon," Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime, ITV said. "Gary, David, Jade, and Danny’s interviews with The Assembly all promise to be captivating, unmissable television with real warmth."
Since the original French series debuted three years ago, The Assembly format has been recreated in multiple countries, with versions airing in Australia, Spain, Denmark, and Poland. The Australian series has already been renewed for a second outing after its first season made headlines with interviews featuring Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Jurassic Park fan favorite Sam Neill. The four-part first season is a Rockerdale Studios production for ITV.
The Assembly will premiere Saturday, April 26, 2025, on ITV and ITVX. As yet, no American distributor has been attached, but it seems unwise to discount the potent combination of desperately needed feel-good television and Tennant's weaponized charm. One would assume this ends up on BritBox at best, but if, say, Peacock, were to pick up the format featuring American celebrities, the U.K. version could come with it, much like what happened with the U.K. version of The Traitors. We'll see!
