“These celebrities really do need to be ready for anything.”

The Assembly will return for a second season on ITV, with a stellar cast of famous faces lined up to take the hot seat for an interview like no other.

The bold interview series will feature five celebrities as they face a no-holds-barred range of questions that no chat show, press junket or, in this season’s case, even a parliamentary grilling has ever dared to ask.

Season 2 will feature national treasure Sir Stephen Fry, former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, comedy legend Sir Lenny Henry, actor Anna Maxwell Martin and BRIT award-winning rapper and I’m A Celebrity star Aitch.

Much like season 1, a remarkable group of inquisitive interviewers who are autistic, neurodivergent and/or learning disabled, will be back putting their questions to this new batch of celebrities, where the rules remain the same: no question is off the table and no topic is out of bounds.

Katie Rawcliffe, director of entertainment of reality & daytime commissioning at ITV said: “This line-up really does offer something for everyone – The Assembly’s no-holds-barred questions throw up all kinds of surprising revelations.”

Based on the format of French show Les Rencontres du Papotin, which has featured President Emmanuel Macron, the first season of the British version featured Danny Dyer, David Tennant, Jade Thirlwall and Gary Lineker, and received critical acclaim.

The series has been extended and will feature seven episodes, kicking off with Sir Stephen Fry and Nicola Sturgeon in episodes 1 and 2 this April.

Along with a special unseen episode, a sixth and final celebrity to round off the star-studded cast is yet to be announced and will be confirmed at a later date.

David Smyth, entertainment commissioning editor at ITV added: “The Assembly are raring to go and with such a unique mix of famous faces to interview, they will have a ball coming up with their next set of questions. These celebrities really do need to be ready for anything.”