British actor Danny Dyer has described his appearance on ITV’s new programme The Assembly as “the most open and honest interview that I’ve ever given”, ahead of its much-anticipated premiere later this month.
The four-part series, airing from Saturday 26 April, invites famous faces to sit down for an in-depth grilling – not from seasoned journalists or chat show hosts, but from a panel of autistic, neurodivergent and learning disabled interviewers, each armed with questions that don’t shy away from the tough stuff.
Alongside Dyer, other guests in the first series include Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, Doctor Who actor David Tennant, and former Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall. No topic is off-limits as each celebrity opens up in a radically refreshing new take on the celebrity interview format.
Speaking ahead of the series’ launch, Dyer, 47, said: “I feel like this was probably the most open and honest interview that I’ve ever given. I trusted everybody in the room, and it took a little while to win everybody over, but I think I did that. It was very emotional for me.”
The former EastEnders star, known for his role as Mick Carter, described the experience as “refreshing” and “revitalising”, particularly in contrast to the usual promotional interviews he had been doing in the lead-up to his recent film Marching Powder.
“It was like three hours [of filming], so it took a while for everybody to trust me in the room, and I think they did,” Dyer continued. “Again, it was very emotional and it was very refreshing, really, to be able to open up about my feelings in front of such a beautiful, intelligent and honest group of people.”
“I think I’m quite naturally an emotional person anyway; I’m very sensitive,” he added. “I’d been doing a lot of press… I was getting really bored of my own voice, but this revitalised me somewhat. It got me excited about being interviewed again.”
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In classic Dyer fashion, when asked who he would most like to see in the hotseat, he quipped: “Any f****** politician, because I would like to see them squirming in their seat trying to answer the beautiful questions that The Assembly have.”
The show’s unique and groundbreaking format is an adaptation of the French series Les Rencontres du Papotin, which first aired in 2022 on France 2 and featured guests including Killing Eve actress Camille Cottin and French President Emmanuel Macron.
A pilot episode of The Assembly previously aired on the BBC to widespread critical acclaim. Welsh actor Michael Sheen, who featured in the pilot, told The Guardian: “The Assembly’s had more response than anything I’ve ever done.”
Produced as part of ITV’s Diversity Commissioning Fund – launched in 2022 to support programming that represents diverse voices and perspectives – The Assembly aims to shift the way viewers engage with celebrities and storytelling alike.
Dyer’s appearance is expected to be a highlight of the series, as he reflects not only on his personal journey but also on how meaningful open, human conversation can be when traditional boundaries are removed.
The Assembly airs its first episode at 10.05pm on Saturday 26 April on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player. For early risers, the show will also be available to stream on ITVX and STV Player from 7am the same day.
