UK commercial broadcaster ITV has commissioned a full UK series of French format The Assembly.

Rockerdale Studios will produce a 4×30’ version for ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player. The format sees celebrities being questioned by interviewers who are autistic, neurodivergent and/or learning disabled.

The Assembly first aired in the UK earlier this year as a 30-minute BBC pilot featuring actor and director Michael Sheen.

Together with ITV, Rockerdale has worked with national and local, autistic and neurodivergent organisations to ensure every element of The Assembly works for and with autistic and neurodivergent voices.

The show’s format is an adaptation of French series Les Rencontres du Papotin, created by Kiosco TV and Quad Ten and distributed by Can’t Stop Media, which launched in 2022 on France 2.

The show featured appearances from notable French figures including Killing Eve star Camille Cottin and President Emmanuel Macron.

As well as the UK, the format has already been adapted with success in Australia, Denmark, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, and is currently in production in eight other territories.

Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime ITV said: “The Assembly is such a distinct, clever and authentic format, and one that we’re absolutely thrilled to commission for a full first series for ITV1 and ITVX. I can’t wait for The Assembly interviewers to ask our brilliant cast of celebrities a plethora of burning questions, which will no doubt make for must watch TV.”

It was commissioned by Rawcliffe and David Smyth, ITV entertainment commissioner. The exec producers are Michelle Singer and Stu Richards for Rockerdale Studios.