James Corden has been part of the late night TV scene in the United States for the better part of a decade now as host of The Late Late Show, after taking over the job following Craig Ferguson’s departure in 2014. Now, the British comedian is poised to leave the talk show and move in some different directions, although viewers shouldn’t plan on saying goodbye to him on CBS just yet.
The Late Late Show host will leave the show ahead of the summer of 2023 after deciding to extend his contract for one year, according to Deadline, which will put his tenure on CBS’ late night TV lineup at just over eight years. His debuted as host in March of 2015 after Craig Ferguson vacated the job the year before. James Corden was reportedly offered deals including three- and two-year extensions, but ultimately decided on just one more year. He explained the decision, saying:
It’s been it’s a really hard decision to leave because I’m so immensely proud of the show. I’m thrilled to be extending [for a year]. I always thought I’d do it for five years and then leave and then I stayed on. I’ve really been thinking about it for a long time, thinking whether there might be one more adventure.
As it is, James Corden has already stayed on at The Late Late Show for longer than he originally expected, and he elaborated to say that his bosses “at CBS have been incredibly supportive and extraordinarily patient” while he made his decision. Corden also explained that he didn’t come to the decision because he and his family are looking to move back to the United Kingdom, as he loves “living here” and “everything it’s given.” A decision hasn’t been made yet, so it’s possible that he’ll remain the United States, but simply step away from late night hosting.
So, why is he leaving, after extending his stay beyond the original plan for five years, and despite not necessarily wanting to return to the U.K.? He has certainly kept busy outside of The Late Late Show even while still working as host, with appearances in films including Peter Rabbit, The Prom, Cats, and the new take on Cinderella that released back in 2021 (and is available streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription). Corden explained why he wants to move forward, and it involves trying some new things:
There’s still some other things that I feel I want to do. I’d like to try and write. There’s some [stories] I’d like to tell. I’d like to see if I’m capable of it. The fact that it’s terrifying is the reason to do it.
James Corden has certainly faced some highs and lows over his years as the face of The Late Late Show. Earlier this year, he tested positive for COVID-19. Although he shared on Instagram that he felt “completely fine” because he was vaccinated and boosted, the show still went off the air for a few days. He also opened up about losing nearly 30 pounds over the course of a year in 2021, and has seemed to enjoy his time on the CBS late night lineup, even if he was roasted by viewers from time to time.
It should be interesting to see if Corden does anything special for his final year as host. The Late Late Show has been paired with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert going back to 2015, with Colbert’s show airing weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET followed by Corden’s at 12:37 a.m. ET on CBS. You can keep on watching Corden through 2023.
