The Assembly review – this celebrity interview show is going to be massive

No question is off limits as a neurodivergent panel give Danny Dyer and David Tennant a grilling. It’s the warmest, funniest telly you’ll watch this yearHelmed by interviewees with autism, other forms of neurodivergence and learning disabilities, The Assembly first aired a year ago as a pilot on BBC One, featuring much of the same cast. According to a recent interview with one of its producers in the Radio Times, the broadcaster couldn’t afford to commission a whole series of the show, which was originally a hit in France. Strange, as it doesn’t require big flashy sets, special effects or locations other than one nondescript room in an office building, but hey, maybe there’s more to it than that. In any case, it’s a huge fumble by the BBC: ITV’s series is some of the warmest telly you’ll see this year – even when Danny Dyer starts dropping f-bombs left, right and centre.Last year’s pilot featured Michael Sheen, who gracefully fielded questions on everything from his age-gap relationship to his affinity with Dylan Thomas and his favourite meal (egg and chips, ham optional). This time around the subjects are David Tennant, Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall, Gary Lineker and – of course – Dyer, who opens the series and gently cranks the hardman act up and down as necessary, instantly putting the group at ease. In turn, they refuse to mince their words; the first question, from a young woman named Chardonnay, concerns Dyer’s finances, and whether he shares a bank account with his wife, Jo, given that she once reportedly kicked him out of their home and siphoned off their joint funds. Dyer turns the air blue in response – thank God for the post-watershed time slot. But he is also honest and humble: he was a “prick” before all that, he says, constantly off his face on drugs, and Jo “controls everything now” when it comes to cash. The next question, from Nicola, is a little lighter, although maybe equally invasive. Just how much did he get paid for presenting the middling Saturday night gameshow The Wall? (Answer: about £100,000). Continue reading...

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