Pop Culture News

The Assembly: ITV announces new celebrity entertainment series.

ITV has partnered with Rockerdale Studios to launch a groundbreaking entertainment series, The Assembly, which will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and STV Player. Spanning four 30-minute episodes, the show features celebrities facing a unique group of interviewers who are autistic, neurodivergent, and/or learning disabled.

Each episode challenges celebrities to abandon their usual media-polished personas as they undergo candid, humorous, and heartfelt interviews. With a lineup of high-profile figures from various entertainment industries—set to be announced soon—the show promises an array of unexpected and thought-provoking discussions. Nothing is off-limits, and the interviewers cut through PR-speak to create genuinely unpredictable moments.

Originally aired as a pilot featuring actor and director Michael Sheen, The Assembly received critical acclaim earlier this year in the UK. Sheen remarked, “The Assembly’s had more response than anything I’ve ever done” (The Guardian, August 2024). In collaboration with autistic and neurodivergent organizations across the UK, ITV and Rockerdale Studios have ensured the show authentically represents these communities at every level of production.

The format is adapted from the French series Les Rencontres du Papotin, developed by Kiosco TV and Quad Ten and distributed by Can’t Stop Media. Launched in 2022 on France 2, the French version featured prominent guests such as Killing Eve star Camille Cottin and President Emmanuel Macron, who famously faced a bold question about his personal life choices. The format has since seen success across Australia, Denmark, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, with adaptations in progress in eight more countries.

Katie Rawcliffe, ITV’s Director of Entertainment & Daytime, commented: “The Assembly is a refreshingly unique and authentic format, and we’re thrilled to bring it to ITV1 and ITVX for a full series. The interactions between the interviewers and celebrities promise unforgettable TV moments.”

Rockerdale Studios’ Executive Producers Michelle Singer and Stu Richards added: “We’re ecstatic to bring The Assembly to ITV. This show is bold, funny, warm, and insightful. We can’t wait to see our interviewers challenge some of the biggest names in showbiz.”

Produced by Rockerdale Studios, The Assembly was commissioned by Katie Rawcliffe and will air as a 4 x 30-minute series.


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