CBC Brings ‘The Assembly’ Back for Season 2 in Canada
EXCLUSIVE: Canadian broadcaster CBC has officially renewed its innovative unscripted series The Assembly for a second season.
The announcement coincides with World Autism Day and reveals plans to enhance the show’s format by featuring over 30 neurodivergent and autistic adults. These individuals will engage in thought-provoking interviews with various celebrities, often posing unconventional or challenging questions that may not typically arise in customary interviews.
Each episode will showcase a different celebrity, who will navigate a series of direct and probing questions in an open and candid dialogue. The resulting discussions promise to deliver profound insights, genuine conversations, and moments of humor. Produced by Small Army Entertainment in Canada, the series is inspired by the French format Les Rencontres du Papotin. Filming is set to begin in Vancouver this month, with a launch scheduled for the fall, though details regarding the guest celebrities have yet to be announced.
This renewal follows Radio-Canada’s commitment to a second season of the French-language version, Facteur A, which was confirmed last month, marking a significant expansion of The Assembly franchise in Canada.
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“The Assembly has connected deeply with audiences across Canada and beyond, and we’re excited to continue those honest, candid, and thoughtful conversations in season two,” said Jennifer Dettman, Executive Director of Unscripted Content at CBC.
Stephen Sawchuk, executive producer at Small Army, emphasized the show’s commitment to representation, stating, “With season two, we hope to broaden representation of the autistic and neurodivergent community by introducing audiences to even more members of The Assembly.” Sean De Vries, another executive producer, added, “This season promises more big names and more opportunities for entertaining and authentic conversations that audiences simply won’t see anywhere else.”
Season 1 of The Assembly received significant acclaim, including nominations for two 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, a Rockie Award at the Banff World Media Festival, and two nominations at the Yorkton Film Festival. The show is available on the CBC Gem streaming service and has featured guests such as Allan Hawco, Arlene Dickinson, Howie Mandel, singer-songwriter Jann Arden, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and comedian Russell Peters.
The original French series, Les Rencontres du Papotin, launched in 2022 with notable guests including Killing Eve star Camille Cottin and French President Emmanuel Macron. Additional versions exist in the UK, Spain, Poland, Australia, and Denmark, featuring celebrities like Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, and Sam Neill.
