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Gary Lineker, Danny Dyer and David Tennant will face questions from a remarkable group of journalists in ITV’s upcoming The Assembly.
The format, which has been a success internationally, sees famous faces come up against a group of interviewers who are autistic, neurodivergent and/or learning disabled.
Match of the Day host Lineker, Rivals duo Dyer and Tennant, and Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall have been unveiled as the quartet who will take part in the first four-part season. Deadline revealed last year that the show had been taken to series by ITV after first appearing on the BBC as a one-off during Autism Awareness Week. In that ep, Michael Sheen faced questions and generated plenty viral moments.
Lineker will join The Assembly shortly before he hangs up his Match of the Day boots after a 25-year career hosting the sports soccer show. He has been back in the news this week after signing a letter condemning the BBC’s “censorship on Palestine” over the controversial Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone doc. Dyer and Tennant have both come off the back of Disney+’s Jilly Cooper adaptation Rivals, for which they were lauded and for which Dyer has been nominated for a Broadcasting Press Guild award.
Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime ITV, said: “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. Gary, David, Jade and Danny’s interviews with The Assembly all promise to be captivating, unmissable television with real warmth and we cannot wait to share it with our viewers.”
ITV’s move is the latest big win for The Assembly, which originated in France two years ago as France 2’s Les Rencontres du Papotin and has since traveled the world with versions in Denmark, Poland, Spain and Australia. The French version has seen the likes of Emmanuel Macron and Killing Eve star Camille Cottin face questions. In Spain, Antonio Banderas was one of a number placed in the spotlight. An Australian version for the ABC has also been ordered and recommissioned, eliciting headline-worthy moments with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Peaky Blinders star Sam Neill.
The Assembly is produced by Rockerdale Studios which, together with ITV, has worked with national and local autistic and neurodivergent organisations to ensure every element works for and with autistic and neurodivergent voices. It was commissioned by Rawcliffe and David Smyth, ITV Entertainment Commissioner. The EPs are Michelle Singer and Stu Richards for Rockerdale.
