James Corden Bids Farewell to the Late Late Show

On April 27, James Corden hosted the final episode of his show, the Late Late Show. back in 2022, James had already revealed on The Drew Barrymore Show that he was planning to leave his show in January. 

“I will be a mess on that last show. I will cry my eyes out. But I will know, at my core, that the best thing for me and the best thing for us as a family is to put down some roots in London,” James said. “And it feels absolutely right in every single way.”

James further mentioned that, in every aspect, going home and leaving this chapter of his life is the right move for him and his family.

The primary reason why James and his family are leaving the US and his show is to go home and be closer to his family back in the UK. The host, reportedly earning $36 million per year, shared that it was a conversation with his son, Max, that became the turning point for James to move back home.

According to James, he was filming on the weekend, a Sunday, and was heading downstairs around six in the morning when his son, who was 10 at that time, asked him if he was working, to which James confirmed that he was.

His son said, “I thought, well, it’s Sunday.” James acknowledged that it was the weekend but explained that his schedule was all over the place and that he needed to get it done. And James admitted that with his answer, his son’s face just dropped, which bothered him.

Further into the story, James shared that he got in the car and then called his wife and talked to her, stating his sudden realization. 

“I got in the car and I called my wife Jules and I said, ‘I’ve realized, best case scenario, we have six more summers where Max even remotely wants to be around us and I cannot waste another one.’”

So, the choice for James was to realize that if he wanted to work, then it should not be at the expense of his children or of his entire family.

James and their wife Julia have three children, 11-year-old Max, 8-year-old Carey, and 5-year-old Carey.

The two-hour special final episode included various guest stars like Harry Styles, Will Farrell, and Tom Cruise, a sketch with fellow late night hosts including Colbert and Letterman, as well as a message from President Biden. 

In an emotional farewell speech, James said, “I sit here now, today, with nothing but love, gratitude and pride. This show is everything I ever wanted it to be.” He implored the audience to look for joy and stated, “All we’ve ever wanted is just be a little bit of light and levity at the end of your day. Thank you for letting me do this. Thank you for allowing me into your home every night.” 

The Late Late Show ends with James’ departure from the show. No other host will be replacing him. According to Deadline, CBS will be rebooting @midnight, the Comedy Central game show, to take the time slot of the Late Late Show.