The Late Late Show: All you need to know about James Corden’s final episode

Late-night host is winding down his eight-year run

James Corden is coming to the end of his run as host of The Late Late Show.

The 44-year-old actor and comedian announced he was exiting the show last year, explaining he “always knew it was an adventure, and I never ever considered it to be the final destination”.

Now, with Corden’s last show just around the corner, here’s a rundown of everything to expect, from the final guests to when it airs and what’s next for the show.

Why is James Corden going back to the UK?

After an eight-year run of hosting the CBS talk show, Corden is finally taking his final bow.

He’s explained that he’s ready to go back to London and spend more time with his wife, Julia, and their three children.

What has he said about it?

Earlier this year, he opened up about what prompted his decision to leave, recalling a conversation he had with his 11-year-old son.

James Corden hosting ‘The Late Late Show’ on CBS (CBS)

“I was filming [Mammals] on a Sunday and I came downstairs, it was about 6am and my son, who was 10 at the time, was sat on the stairs and he said, ‘Are you working today?’ and I said, ‘I am,’ and he said, ‘I thought, but it’s Sunday’,” Corden said at the time.

“And I said, ‘I know buddy, but this schedule’s just all over the place. We’ve just got to get it done because we only have a tiny amount of time before we have to go back and do the show’ and his face just kind of dropped,” he continued.

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

Who was the final Carpool Karaoke star?

Corden’s iconic singing segment – where he drives about with a musical guest singing their songs – went out with a bang.

On Monday (24 April), the Brit was joined by another iconic Brit – Adele, who returned to fearlessly take on LA traffic, while singing her top hits.

The “Rolling in the Deep” singer previously sat behind the wheel in 2015.

Who's on the final guest lineup?

Corden had stayed quite secretive about how he planned to end the show, including who he might end it with. Rumours suggested he was going to initiate a One Direction reunion, however, he quickly debunked that theory.

James Corden and Adele on ‘Carpool Karaoke’ (The Late Late Show)

Although, one-fifth of that appeared to be correct, as it was later announced that former band member Harry Styles will join the host for his final outing. Styles has appeared several times on the show over the years, and is close friends with Corden.

Also joining will be Elf star Will Ferrell, who too has a special link to the Gavin and Stacey co-creator’s time on the chat show, having previously been a guest during Corden’s first week in March 2015.

For the pre-show finale airing ahead of Corden’s last hour, Tom Cruise will return for “one final over-the-top sketch” featuring a performance of The Lion King.

Who is the Executive Producer of the show?

Across its eight seasons, The Late Late Show has been executive produced by Rob Crabbe and Ben Winston.

Who owns the show?

CBS Studios owns the rights to the show.

Who's replacing James Corden?

In 2015, Corden joined the Late Late Show as a replacement for Scottish comedian Craig Ferguson.

Given this, it would seem only natural for Corden to continue passing the baton, but it appears he might be the final leg in the Late Late Show relay.

At the moment, it’s been announced that a reboot of Comedy Central’s game show @midnight, with executive producer Stephen Colbert, will take the late-night spot.

What time does the show air in the US?

The Late Late Show With James Corden airs its final show on Friday 28 April at 12:37am EST on CBS in the US (late night Thursday and wee hours of the morning on Friday). It can be live-streamed on Paramount Plus.

How can I watch it in the UK?

UK viewers can tune in on Sky Comedy the next day (Friday 28 April) at 11:50pm GMT.