James Corden Late Late Show – live: British host waves goodbye to America in star-studded finale
Corden is returning to the UK to spend more time with his wife and children
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James Corden’s tenure on The Late Late Show has come to an end.
The British presenter hosted his final episode in the early hours of Friday morning (28 April), following an eight-year run on the CBS talk show.
First, viewers were treated to a Carpool Karaoke special starring Adele, then Corden was joined by some of his favourite guests from over the years, including Harry Styles, Will Ferrell and Tom Cruise.
Ferrell took a sledgehammer to Corden’s now-defunct desk, and several of Corden’s rival late night hosts appeared on the show to spill their industry secrets.
Corden also made a farewell speech in which he referenced growing divisions in the US.
Scroll down to catch up on all the antics...
Adele reveals lyrics she wrote was inspired by conversation with Corden
The pair get emotional in this special while talking about their longstanding friendship.
“We were on our way home and my mood had changed,” Adele explained. “It was the first year that I felt like I had to hold myself accountable for just being an adult. When the year before that, I had left Simon and stuff like that.”
The “Easy On Me” singer tearfully praised Corden and his family for their support of her in the wake of 2019 split from Konecki.
She explained that Corden also opened up to her about feeling vulnerable over comments about him on the internet.
Corden has been involved in a number of controversies over the years, including 2022’s Balthazar restaurant scandal, and allegations of joke-stealing.
“I was floored by how you managed to take everything that I was feeling about myself, and life, and just put it in a verse,” he said, with tears in his eyes. “It’s the greatest privilege that… from a conversation between two friends, that you would create such a thing that blows my mind.”
Read more:
James Corden appears to address online backlash in tearful chat with Adele
‘You and Jules and the kids were so integral in looking after me,’ the singer told Corden
Carpool Karaoke time
Corden says he previously thought P Diddy would be his last Carpool Karaoke.
Adele surprised the host by turning up to his house to wake him up with a pair of symbols.
Watch:
‘Me and Tucker Carlson doing the Cha-Cha’
James Corden jokes he’ll be on Dancing with the Stars with the fired Fox News host.
As rumoured, Corden and Cruise will be appearing in The Lion King on Broadway. Corden introduces himself as “Tony award winner veteran of National Theatre, West End and Broadway” and Cruise as “Tom”.
Cruise speaks to Corden on the phone after diving out of a plane
We have our first Cruise teaser. Corden first shared a 2022 clip from when the two performed stunts to promote Top Gun: Maverick. Turns out the Mission: Impossible star told Corden at the time: “We gotta do a musical sometime man.”
Cut to “two weeks ago” and we’re seeing Cruise speaking to the host on the phone... after jumping out of a plane, obviously.
Corden invites him to lunch in Hollywood and then... ad break. We’re about to find out what they discussed.
He’s singing...
The last Carpool Karaoke special has begun and what other way would the host do it than by singing a musical number.
Lyrics include: “Drivers, thanks for not running me down!”
And: “I’ve got to steal everything from CBS I can, next year I might be living in a van.”
Who's on the final guest lineup?
Corden is bringing back some of his favourite guests on the show for the big finale. This includes Harry Styles, Will Ferrel and Tom Cruise.
Cruise will perform “one final over-the-top sketch” featuring a performance of The Lion King.
Video: James Corden 'didn't know' Carpool Karaoke with Adele was last one
How to watch the last episode
The Late Late Show With James Corden airs 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.
Fans in the UK will, unfortunately, have to wait until Friday evening to watch the last two episodes on Sky Showcase at 10:15pm and 11:15pm.
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