James Corden’s final show packed full of celebrity skits and performances

The final show and prior hour-long primetime special saw Corden deliver on his promise to ‘go out with a bang’.

James Corden’s final show packed full of celebrity skits and performances (Chris Radburn/PA) (PA Archive)

James Corden delivered on his promise to “go out with a bang” during his final episode of The Late Late Show.

The show and an hour-long prime time special beforehand saw guest appearances from several Hollywood stars, who joined him for various sketches and performances.

Here, PA looks at some of the highlights of his final outing as The Late Late Show host.

– Adele Carpool Karaoke

Global superstar Adele returned for the final-ever Carpool Karaoke, arriving at Corden’s house to wake him with cymbals before offering to drive him to work – despite admitting her poor driving skills.

During the trip, the long-term friends sang several of Adele’s hits and a musical number, and reminisced about the past eight years of his tenure on The Late Late Show.

They later became emotional while singing a rendition of Adele’s I Drink Wine – with the singer explaining the lyrics to the song had partly been inspired by a conversation they had once had.

Corden said he had been “floored” after first hearing the song, which had been “everything I had been feeling that day”.

Playing the track, Adele told him “every time I listen to this I think of you” as Corden became visibly emotional.

– Tom Cruise Lion King musical

Corden sought to seek revenge on years of “life-threatening scenarios” inflicted on him by the Hollywood star by challenging him to take part in a live performance of the Lion King – delivering the “mission” while Cruise was mid-skydive.

The pair later appeared onstage as Timon and Pumba to shrieks of delight from the unexpecting audience, though later tensions appeared to rise.

“You’re a big movie star, you’re gonna have more projects to promote and when that happens, you’re just going to find yourself another late night host,” Corden said.

Cruise retorted: “I’m not the one turning my back on everything that we have, everything that we’ve created. This is your last show. You did this to us!”

After a heart-felt rendition of Can You Feel The Love Tonight, punctuated by clips of Cruise’s appearances on the show, the pair made up on a helipad.

– Late night show hosts

Another sketch saw other US talk show hosts “break into” Corden’s house in order to persuade him not to leave the show and reveal the “secrets” of the business.

Seth Myers, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and even David Letterman all appeared in the skit, during which they discussed Corden’s retirement plans and argued over who would take over Carpool Karaoke.

“When I first moved here to America to take over the show all I could hear was talk of the late night wars. Then I came to realise we’re not at war – we’re a family,” Cordon said, before attempting to break into a musical number.

“You’re embarrassing your country,” Kimmel told him before burning Corden’s Met Gala invitation.

Corden awoke sweating from the dream, before later finding himself onstage revealing himself as a contestant on The Masked Singer, alongside Trevor Noah.

– Locked out of the studio

Corden began his final episode of The Late Late Show from the stairwell of the CBS building after being seemingly unable to open a door to the stage.

His guests Will Ferrell and Harry Styles offered unhelpful advice, with the US actor telling him “it’s a really well-built door”.

“Terrible timing with this door thing eh? Because it’s your last show,” Styles added unhelpfully.

Corden was eventually granted access to the studio after discovering the code was … 1111.

– Final Spill Your Guts Or Fill Your Guts

Upon the request of guest Ferrell, Corden and Styles played a final game of Spill Your Guts Or Fill Your Guts – which involves answering questions or eating disgusting food.

Questions included favourite late night show hosts, whether there would be a One Direction reunion and which of his two guests Corden preferred.

Ferrell, a big fan of the game, answered his question but opted to eat a bug trifle anyway.

The segment has previously seen viral moments produced from the likes of Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian.

– Message from POTUS

Corden received a surprise video message from US President Joe Biden, who had once featured in a sketch on The Late Late Show, at the beginning of the final episode.

Biden told him he was “surprised you lasted eight years in any job” after his poor performance as a White House assistant.

“I’m going to miss you buddy,” Biden said, before thanking Corden for “never making me sing in a car”.

– Final Number

In the closing moments of the show, Corden was seated behind the piano, to give an emotional farewell through his preferred medium – song.

The song summed up his time as host, at the end of which he became audibly emotional.

Corden left the studio to a standing ovation from his audience, which included members of his family including his parents and sisters.