ITV Convenes 'The Assembly' After BBC Pilot Goes Viral

ITV has officially greenlit an entire series of the unique interview program The Assembly, which began its life as a critically acclaimed BBC one-off earlier this year. An adaptation of the French series Les Rencontres du Papotin, which featured appearances from notable figures, including President Emmanuel Macron and Killing Eve star Camille Cottin, the format sees celebrities and other famous faces face what is likely the most unique interview experience of their lives as they sit down for a no-holds-barred chat with a group of autistic, neurodivergent, and/or learning disabled journalists. ITV has not announced the celebrities’ names but said, “Each of them has enjoyed illustrious careers in their respective fields.”

In an age of interviews where most celebrities are either asked questions they’ve fielded a million times before or forced to play bizarre games or read thirst tweets in the hopes of generating a social media “moment,” The Assembly is both refreshingly forthright and surprisingly unpredictable.

“The Assembly is such a distinct, clever, and authentic format, and one that we’re absolutely thrilled to commission for a full first series for ITV1 and ITVX,” Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime at ITV, said in a statement announcing the series. “I can’t wait for The Assembly interviewers to ask our brilliant cast of celebrities a plethora of burning questions, which will no doubt make for must-watch TV.”