James Corden’s decision to leave The Late Late Show was met with sadness from many viewers. But rumors of Cordon leaving the CBS talk show had been swirling around for some time now, so some fans weren't as surprised as others. Luckily for them, though, he still has another year left on his contract before he officially signs off. Now, shortly after making the major announcement, the host has opened up even more about leaving the program and has discussed his desire to "go out on top."
The Prom actor revealed more about his life-changing decision while speaking with Entertainment Tonight. Hosting the show for seven years has been a dream come true for the comedian but, as he puts it, this latest move is all about timing. He said about his departure from the series:
I just sort of felt like maybe we'd done enough? Maybe we'd done everything we wanted to do. When I took the job -- firstly, I didn't think we'd be on the air, like, six months later. Then as soon as it seemed like we'd be on for a little while, I was very very determined that the show wouldn't overstay its welcome in any way and that we would always know when to leave. That we'd always know when to go out on top because I think that's really important.
Given how popular the late-night program is at this point, it seems like James Corden has accomplished everything he wanted to do with it. Under the comedic actor’s tenure, the series has drawn solid ratings and spawned two successful spinoffs – Apple TV+’s Carpool Karaoke and TBS’s Drop the Mic. With that, one can understand why he'd be ready to hang it up. Despite his decision to conclude his run, though, the entertainer further admitted it wasn’t an easy one to make:
It was really hard, and, you know, there is family decisions and all the things like that. But I just couldn't shake that, maybe if I try and back myself somehow... There might be one more adventure, there might be one more journey that I might be capable of. I will never find out if I stay in the safety of this, you know?
Participating in the weekly television grind can be safe yet stifling for a multihyphenate like the Peter Rabbit actor. While the show is where he's truly made his name with American audiences, he's also been racking up a number of high-profile movie and TV gigs over the past few years, which are keeping him plenty busy. With this, he's happy that he has the freedom to leave his CBS job on his own terms:
Whoever gets to decide? Certainly not in this industry. Who ever gets to make their own decisions? Never. And you'll never find out [what is waiting for you] unless you just take a run and jump. When I took the job, I remember saying to my friends, like, 'I'd rather regret doing something than not doing something.' That's the same way I feel now.
Change is rarely ever easy but, at some point, you just want to try something new. Clearly, the TV personality wants to do more than sing with celebrities in cars or eat cow’s tongues. And he’ll have the time to pursue whatever opportunities he wants once he signs off in 2023.
Another reason he’s quitting the late-night chatfest might have to do with his family. The entertainer mentioned that he and his wife wanted their young children to grow up around their extended family across the pond. He previously admitted that the pandemic took a heavy toll on him when it comes to how much time he was able to spend with his family.
James Corden isn’t the only person that'll be departing the talk show space. Ellen DeGeneres is counting down to the final episode of her show, while Nick Cannon, Wendy Williams, and The Real are all set to sign off as well. But new talk shows from the likes of The View vet Sherri Shepherd (Williams' replacement) and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, who could provide some competition for fellow American Idol vet Kelly Clarkson.
This next year is sure to be a bittersweet one for the Late Late Show host. But while his departure is sure to sadden some, they should take comfort in knowing that he's aiming to go out on a high note before moving on to other passions.
You can still catch The Late Late Show with James Corden on weeknights at 12:35 am EST on CBS! Be sure that you also check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule for more on what's coming up this year.
