It can be hard sometimes to feel like celebrities are telling the public what they really think. 

In a hyper-vigilant era of elaborately constructed online personae, hawk-eyed publicists pre-approving questions and an increasingly liberal use of crisis PR, celebrity image is more carefully controlled and curated than ever. 

It is why a show like ITV’s new interview programme The ᴀssembly is so appealing and refreshing – it cuts through all the noise. 

The set-up: a large panel of neurodivergent and learning-disabled people, who grill British celebrities in a no-limits interview, on topics ranging from death, to religion, to their favourite crisps – with both funny and poignant results. 

The first series, which finished on Sunday, saw guests as diverse as actors David Tennant and Danny Dyer, Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall and football commentator Gary Lineker face the no-holds-barred questioning.   

It makes for some of the warmest, most sincere television in recent memory – and its creators, Michelle Singer and Stu Richards, have now spoken out about their magic formula. 

It is why a show like ITV’s new interview programme The ᴀssembly (pictured, with David Tennant) is so appealing and refreshing – it cuts through all the noise

The set-up: a large panel of neurodivergent and learning-disabled people, who grill British celebrities in a no-limits interview. Pictured: Danny Dyer on the programme

The first series, which finished on Sunday, saw guests as diverse as actors David Tennant and Danny Dyer, Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall (pictured) and football commentator Gary Lineker face the no-holds-barred questioning

The executive producers said in an interview with The Independent that the idea for the show’s format is based on a French programme called Les Rencontres du Papotin, which first aired in 2022.  

Relatively early on in its two series, the programme managed to get French President Emmanuel Macron onboard. 

He was asked whether his marriage set a bad example after he met then-married Brigitte, his 39-year-old teacher and a mother-of-three, when he was just 15.

The French politician responded, with candour: ‘It’s not about setting an example or not, you see? When you’re in love, the choice isn’t yours.’

He also joked, to laughs from the interviewers: ‘She wasn’t really my teacher. She was my drama teacher. It’s not quite the same.’ 

The politician was astonishingly forthcoming – and the show’s uniqueness immediately made an impact on The ᴀssembly co-creator Stu. 

A pilot, on BBC One, soon followed, in April last year, with actor Michael Sheen, 56. 

He too was quizzed about his age-gap relationship, with partner Anna Lundberg, 30: ‘How does it feel to be dating someone only five years older than your daughter?’ 

The executive producers said the idea for the show’s format is based on a French programme called Les Rencontres du Papotin, which first aired in 2022. Pictured: Gary Lineker on The ᴀssembly

He was asked whether his marriage – he met then-married Brigitte (pictured together last month), his 39-year-old teacher and a mother-of-three, when he was 15, wedding her after he graduated – set a bad example

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But it really worked. ITV took over, soon greenlighting a whole series, at the end of last year – and it began airing last month. 

Everything you see on-screen is completely real, according to the executive producers – also known for Channel 4 cooking chat show Dine Hard with comedian Rosie Jones and BBC sports mockumentary I Am Darren about a fictional Paralympian. 

The celebrities receive a short briefing from the crew but there are no scripts or rehearsals and all the questions do truly come from the panel themselves. 

This produced the bombshell age-gap question posed to Michael in the pilot – which saw the whole room, cast and crew, go ‘Ohh, holy s***’, producer Michelle said. 

But with no team to fly in to stop him responding, the actor was able to pause to really think and reply in a way he was happy with, she explained – and he ended up giving a wonderful response. 

The question was in reference to his daughter Lily, 26, who he shares with English actress Kate Beckinsale, following their relationship from 1995 until 2003. 

He has been in a relationship with Swedish actress Anna, 30, who he appeared with in BBC comedy series Staged, since 2019. They have two children together.  

A pilot, on BBC One, soon followed, in April last year, with actor Michael Sheen, 56 (pictured)

He was, incidentally, also quizzed about his relationship, with partner Anna Lundberg, 30: ‘How does it feel to be dating someone only five years older than your daughter?’ Pictured: Michael and Anna in 2019

Read More Michael Sheen is praised for ’embracing wholeheartedly’ group of neurodivergent people as actor and viewers are moved to tears by BBC’s The ᴀssembly

Michael replied on The ᴀssembly at the time: ‘I think because of the age difference, I think both of us were quite surprised when we got together.

‘I don’t think either of us were looking for that. It’s not like I’ve dated lots of people who are much younger than me, but you meet who you meet. 

‘We were very aware of what differences that might make and how they might respond to that. 

‘It’s not like it was the easiest thing to do. We were both aware it would be difficult and challenging. 

‘Ultimately, we felt it was worth it because of how we felt about each other. Now we have two beautiful children together. I’m really happy. 

‘Because of the age difference I know I’m a older father. It does worry me. It makes me sad thinking about the time I won’t have with them.

‘But I think if you find someone who brings you happiness and you make them happy, you’ve got to go for that I think and I’m so happy we did as we have this wonderful family now.’

Some equally as powerful moments have been created on the episodes since then. 

Danny tearfully revealed his wife Joanne Mas (pictured in 2023) controls all their finances now, after throwing him out for his wild, drug-filled behaviour in his youth

He said: ‘I was a p***k and she deserved better… She had every right to throw me out. She controls everything now’

Read More Danny Dyer says his kids have NEVER traveled on a bus and always go ‘door to door’ in a Bentley

Danny tearfully revealed his wife Joanne Mas controls all their finances now, after throwing him out for his wild, drug-filled behaviour in his youth. 

He said: ‘I was a p***k and she deserved better… She had every right to throw me out. She controls everything now.’ 

Veteran Shakespeare actor David Tennant, performed a scene from Macbeth with a keen actor from the panel, while Jade Thirlwall spoke about how grounding her friendship with the late Liam Payne was in the early part of her career. 

Gary Lineker, meanwhile, was quizzed on his exit from Match of the Day and how it felt when his son George was diagnosed with leukaemia. 

David, Danny and Jade were all in tears by the close of the interview, which ended with musical performances from the panel – The Proclaimers’ Sunshine on Leith, Primal Scream’s Movin’ On Up and Diana Ross’s I’m Coming Out respectively. 

Gary watched on, captivated, by a beautiful contemporary dance by one of the interviewers, which ended his episode.  

Jade, after dubbing the process her ‘favourite interview’ on social media, asked for the name of each of the 35 cast members so she could hand write them a thank-you card. 

In fact, all the stars wrote to the production team via their agents to express how much of an impact the show made on them. 

Veteran Shakespeare actor David performed a scene from Macbeth with a keen actor from the panel

Jade spoke about how grounding her friendship with the late Liam Payne was in the early part of her career

Gary, meanwhile, was quizzed on his exit from Match of the Day and how it felt when his son George was diagnosed with leukaemia

Read More BBC star Gary Lineker defects to rival ITV for new TV show

The show’s creators are perfectly aware, though, that for less genuine celebrities, an appearance on the programme – in which the stars inevitably come off well – could cynically be viewed as a mere PR opportunity. 

Taking it back to the programme’s origins with President Macron, Stu and Michelle laughed as they mentioned both US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as interviewees they would love to get involved. 

Any attempted PR stunt would likely soon be detected – there is no hiding from the panel, they reflected.  

Ultimately, Stu hopes the programme can challenge stereotypes about disabled people, in a different and more helpful way than viewers might be used to. 

It is the main aim of his disabled-led production company Rockerdale Studios, which he co-owns with his show co-creator Michelle: ‘The boring way of doing that is to sit and talk about stereotypes in the actual show and look it in the eye. 

‘We don’t do that. We make an entertaining show. And if it does nice things, then f***ing great.’ 

Michelle added The ᴀssembly is about self-expression, about letting the stars show off their natural excitement – and cheeky nature: ‘It isn’t, “Ah, aren’t they lovely? Look at people like that”.’ 

Ultimately, Stu hopes the programme can challenge stereotypes about disabled people, in a different and more helpful way than viewers might be used to

One interviewer named Essin (pictured) – who has asked particularly hard-hitting questions about Danny’s absent father and Gary’s thoughts on why it is hard for gay footballers to come out – has already been recognised in the street and asked for a selfie

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Stu explained: ‘It’s being given agency and power to be the subject of something rather than the sort of object of our sympathy.’ 

The panel have loved the experience, the producers said – and have already begun to develop a celebrity status of their own. 

One interviewer named Essin – who has asked particularly hard-hitting questions about Danny’s absent father and Gary’s thoughts on why it is hard for gay footballers to come out – has already been recognised in the street and asked for a selfie. 

It seems what Danny said near the end of his episode may ring remarkably true: ‘Listen, I will say this. You better prepare yourself for a bit of fame, you lot, ’cause I think this show is gonna be f***ing mᴀssive.’  

The ᴀssembly is available to stream on ITVX.