Formats Unpacked: The Assembly

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OK. On to the format. I saw a lot of hype around today’s format when it was aired earlier this year, but I only got around to watching it this week. It really is a delightful piece of TV that I just had to write about.

Enjoy.

What's it called? 

The Assembly (TV show)

What's the format?

Thirty-five autistic, neurodivergent, and learning disabled people sit in a circle and interview well-known British celebrities. Each episode features a different famous face taking a seat among the group, where they face questions from each member of The Assembly.

No topic is off limits, no question is off the table, and carefully considered PR fluff just won't cut it. The fluff-cutting stretches to the production too. The studio is essentially a large office space, while the crew are frequently in shot. It is so barebones that I can’t get my head around why the BBC dropped it for “budgetary reasons” after airing the pilot. ITV will, without doubt, scoop a whole bunch of BAFTAs for it.

Episodes run for around 30 minutes and end with the most delightful music and dance performances from The Assembly members. The performances are beautiful and uplifting final touches to a show that has you gripped from the very first moment.

What’s the magic that makes it special?

In my last Formats Unpacked, I wrote about how the location of an interview can have a dramatic impact on the answers interviewees give. I also wrote on LinkedIn about how food formats have been used to get interviewees to drop their masks. The Assembly does a very similar job, only this time the magic is in who is asking the questions.

When celebrities do traditional interviews, they come armed with media training, prepared sound bites, and practiced deflections. They know exactly what Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, or any seasoned interviewer is likely to ask, and they've rehearsed their charming anecdotes accordingly. But The Assembly's interviewers don't follow those TV rules.

The Assembly members operate with a fundamentally different and more powerful set of filters. While seasoned interviewers filter their questions through industry conventions, audience expectations, and relationship management with PR teams, The Assembly members filter theirs through pure curiosity and genuine human interest.

David Tennant, who answered questions about his skin care regime and his “cancelled friend”, was also asked, “What made you see that jumper and think ‘OK, I can wear this?’” Or to phrase that another way, “What makes you like the thing you like?” which is exactly what we’re doing here - getting to the magic that tickles our brains and makes us click, watch, or buy something. It’s a genius question.

In Danny Dyer's episode, he's asked about sending his son to private school despite his working-class image. These aren't questions designed to catch him out or generate headlines. There's no malice, just genuine curiosity. Dyer opens up with surprising emotional depth about his choices and mistakes.

Michael Sheen, who was asked, “What was it like to be married to a woman only five years older than his daughter,” told The Guardian, "The Assembly's had more response than anything I've ever done." This wasn't because the questions were more probing than usual - it was because they were more honest.

The format works because The Assembly members approach celebrities not as untouchable stars, but as people they'd like to understand better, possibly to understand their lives better. When Gary Lineker, who looked the most uncomfortable of all the celebrities, is asked, "Do you tell your children that you love them?", it's not a gotcha moment - it's someone wanting to understand how other people’s families work.

The Assembly demonstrates that the best interviews happen not when you have the most experienced interviewer, but when you have the most honest questions. Where else are you going to get Little Mix’s Jade Thirwell demonstrating how she gets rid of trapped wind? In a media landscape full of practiced performances and defensive PR, The Assembly offers something B2B content can learn from: talking about what you sell can get boring. If you really want to stand out, you have to stay human.

Similar formats

The format feels like it shares DNA with Desert Island Discs in its ability to reveal unexpected sides of celebrities. I can see celebs queueing up to appear on future series. There’s also something about it that reminds me of watching 1970s and 1980s Saturday morning TV shows like Swap Shop or Saturday Superstore. Kids would get the chance to phone in and ask their favourite bands questions that mattered to them.

Favourite episode

It’s impossible to pick. They’re all so good. And they’re pretty short, so give them all a whirl.

Thanks for reading.

If you need help developing content formats like The Assembly that audiences fall in love with, hit that big button above. We can start by running a Formats Unpacked Workshop to identify potential stories and formats, then help you test your format by producing a pilot episode. Our tried and tested process is a quick and cost-effective way to help your team develop and implement a manageable content strategy.

Get in touch if you have a favourite format you’d like to unpack. We’re always looking for guest contributors.

See you all next time,
Hugh

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