Assi Azar Brings Celebrity Vulnerability to Israeli TV in New Show
Israeli host Assi Azar addresses mental health and personal vulnerabilities in his new prime-time Keshet 12 show, featuring celebrities discussing aging, anxiety, and body image.
Israeli television host Assi Azar is bringing his personal battle with anxiety to prime time with a brand-new show titled "Who Wants to Start?" broadcast on Keshet 12. Known for openly sharing his mental health struggles on social media, Azar now invites prominent public figures to drop their polished facades and discuss deeply personal vulnerabilities. In a recent interview with Galit and Yoav, Azar admitted he initially harbored significant doubts about whether celebrities would agree to open up about their most intimate fears and insecurities on camera.
Behind the Scenes of Celebrity Vulnerability
The format was conceived during a casual brainstorming session at a café with the show's editor and creator. Initially, the concept centered specifically on anxiety, with wild ideas such as taking celebrities on an anxiety-focused retreat to India. However, the creators quickly realized that anxiety is just one of many hidden struggles people face. They expanded the scope so that each episode tackles a different universal theme, ranging from aging and body image to personal weight struggles and mental health.
"We brought them into a situation where they didn't know who was sitting with them in the group, they didn't know what they were going to be asked, and they just came because they were asked," Azar shared regarding the participants.
Iconic Figures Confronting Taboos
Throughout the season, the show features some of the country's most iconic and beloved personalities. In an upcoming episode dedicated entirely to aging, legendary figures such as Rivka Michaeli, Gavri Banai, Tuvia Tzafir, and Nurit Geffen sit down for a remarkably candid discussion. Azar confessed he could barely believe he was sitting across from these cultural giants, asking them unfiltered questions such as whether sex exists at the age of 80, to which they responded with total honesty.
Azar believes that in today's social media-driven era, audiences appreciate authenticity far more than the illusion of perfection. By stepping into the unknown and losing control on television, these celebrities discovered a profound sense of camaraderie, even exchanging phone numbers after filming wrapped to maintain a support group born from their shared emotional breakthroughs.
