The Assembly returns for season 2 on ABC this September, with ABC presenter and mentor Leigh Sales guiding a fresh cohort of autistic journalism students.

The ground-breaking series, adapted from the French hit Les Rencontres du Papotin, won this year’s Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network (SDIN) Award at the Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Awards and has inspired international versions in the UK, Poland, Spain and beyond.

Julia Morris sits down with the next generation of autistic journalists in season 2 of The Assembly (image – ABC)

This season, students take on interviews with Julia Morris, Richard Roxburgh, Guy Sebastian, Steve Waugh and more, delivering fresh perspectives, unfiltered conversations and moments that even catch the A-listers off guard.

Season 2 continues the public broadcaster’s recent success in adapting overseas hits for Australian audiences, following recent titles such as The Piano.

From ABC:

Real talk, real connections: The Assembly season 2 unveils a new cohort of Autistic Storytellers

The ground-breaking, critically-acclaimed factual series The Assembly returns for season 2 on Sunday, 21 September at 7.30pm on ABC TV, with all episodes available to stream for free on ABC iview

In an all-new, six-part season of The Assembly, Australia’s most renowned interviewer, Leigh Sales, returns to mentor a new and bigger group of Autistic journalism students.

A bold, empathetic series giving autistic journalism students a national platform, season 2 brings unfiltered interviews with well-known figures, showcasing talent, insight, and the power of different perspectives.
Leigh Sales with the new cohort of autistic journalism students in season 2 of The Assembly (image – ABC)
They are set to learn their craft and interview A-listers including award winning actor Richard Roxburgh, one of Australia’s most successful musicians Guy Sebastian, legendary journalist and five-time Gold Logie winner Ray Martin, Aussie comedy royalty Julia Morris, world renowned cricketer and former Australian of the Year Steve Waugh, and beloved cook, author and presenter Maggie Beer.

In each episode, students from across the country — including regional areas — are guided by Leigh as they research a featured famous face and develop their interview questions. The episode builds toward a compelling interview that is fresh, disarming, and often surprising.

These conversations create space for voices often excluded from national dialogue, offering new perspectives that both resonate with the audience and catch the interviewee off guard.

For season 2, the course is delivered in an intensive block at Macquarie University, offering students a truly immersive learning experience. As part of the program, the ABC provides exclusive behind-the-scenes access, including guided tours and curated masterclasses with industry professionals.

Produced by HELIUM, The Assembly is made with comprehensive support for the student journalists, through a partnership with Aspect (Australia’s largest service provider for people on the autism spectrum), Macquarie University (delivering tailored journalism training), and Bus Stop Films (Australia’s leading inclusive filmmaking organisation).

Together, these partners help create a production environment that is inclusive and empowers storytelling.

Production Credit: 

The Assembly is produced by Helium Pictures for ABC and financed with the assistance of Screen NSW and skills development financing from Screen Australia.  The Assembly is an inclusive production proudly supported by Aspect (Austism Spectrum Australia), Bus Stop Films and Macquarie University.

Executive produced and directed by showrunner Melissa Maclean, executive produced by Therese Hegarty, HELIUM’s Mark Fennessy and ABC Commissioning Editor, Factual Julie Hanna.  ABC Head of Documentary & Specialist, Susie Jones.

HELIUM has developed The Assembly for an Australian audience from a format created by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, originally produced by KIOSCO.TV & QUAD+TEN, and distributed by CAN’T STOP Media.

Catch all episodes of season one of The Assembly, featuring Hamish Blake, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Amanda Keller and more, now on ABC iview.