Rylan Clark has become the final celebrity guest on the groundbreaking ITV series The Assembly, where a neurodivergent panel of 28 interviewers asks unfiltered questions. The show, which originated in France, has been praised for its raw and revealing celebrity encounters. Clark was asked blunt questions such as 'Are they your real teeth?' and 'Did you ever consider having a real suntan?' The interview covered his infidelity, divorce, and mental health struggles, leaving him in tears.
The Assembly features a panel of autistic, neurodivergent, and learning-disabled individuals who are given full control over the questioning. The format has been a hit internationally, with 20 countries commissioning versions. UK producer Rockerdale Studios snapped up the rights after seeing French President Emmanuel Macron's emotional interview on the original show, Les Rencontres du Papotin.
The British pilot, starring Michael Sheen, aired on the BBC during Autism Acceptance Week 2024 but was not picked up for a full series due to budget constraints. ITV then commissioned the show, with Danny Dyer as the first guest. Dyer's episode remains the most popular on YouTube, with half a million views. He later called it 'my favourite interview I've ever done.'
Other guests in the debut series included David Tennant, Jade Thirlwall, and Gary Lineker. The show was Bafta-nominated and won an RTS award. Rockerdale CEO Stu Richards emphasised the importance of entertainment: 'We could make a documentary about the Send community but the sad truth is that nobody would watch it. The Assembly has to be entertaining first and foremost.'
