Sir Lenny Henry has signed up for the second series of ITV's The Assembly, following in the footsteps of Gary Lineker, Danny Dyer, David Tennant and Jade Thirlwall. He will join Sir Stephen Fry, who was already confirmed for the extended six-episode run.
The show features a group of autistic, neurodivergent and/or learning disabled interviewers who ask celebrities anything they want. A source said most of the new series has been filmed and producers were “thrilled” to have landed Sir Lenny. “This time the questions are even bolder,” the insider revealed. “They’ve seen how well it went last time and it’s made them more confident - and more mischievous.”
After the first series won critical acclaim, celebrities were keen to appear. “It wasn’t hard to persuade them to sign up - they were banging on the door,” the source said. Critics hailed the series as “the warmest, funniest telly you’ll watch this year”, with The Mirror calling it “a breath of fresh air”.
Producer Stu Richards of Rockerdale Studios said he was “buzzing” with excitement. “The chance to make something that plays by almost none of the rules of normal telly is just such a ludicrous privilege.” ITV entertainment commissioner David Smyth added: “The response to series one was thrilling. There was no doubt in my mind that we needed to do more.”
The remaining four celebrities will be announced shortly, with the series due to air on ITV1 and ITVX next month.
