Why is James Corden leaving the Late Late Show?

Over the past eight years, James Corden has transformed himself from Gavin & Stacey star to one of the US's most recognised figures as host of The Late Late Show.

Taking over from previous show host Craig Ferguson in 2015, the move was one that few saw coming.

However, thanks to the success of sing-along segments like Carpool Karaoke, Corden’s unlikely stint as an US late night host found quick success and multiple moments that quickly went viral among younger viewers.

Throughout all of his hosting duties, the Brit hasn’t shied away from other projects either, starring in everything from big-budget movies like 2018’s Peter Rabbit and 2019’s Cats and returning to host the UK’s sports-based panel show A League of Their Own until 2019.

That said, in early April 2022, Corden revealed it was time for a change — but when will he take his final bow as host of The Late Late Show and who will his final guests be?

When is James Corden’s final Late Late Show?

Corden’s final stint as host of The Late Late Show will be broadcast in the UK on Sky Comedy tonight, Friday, 27 April, at 10:15pm and 11:15pm.

The full guest lineup for Corden’s final show was unveiled on Monday, 17 April with a stacked roster of famous faces set to help the British star end his show in style.

Read more: The origins of James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke

Harry Styles will return following multiple previous appearances, although rumours that he would be reuniting with his former One Direction bandmates were quickly debunked. Will Ferrell will also join in the fun, bookending his experience as one of Corden’s earliest guests in his first week as host.

It has also been revealed that Corden’s final show will be proceeded by an hour-long episode of Carpool Karaoke. A preview was recently released featuring Adele surprising Corden in his home before telling him: “last week of work, I’m going to drive you to work. Let’s do the final carpool."

Clips then show the pair discussing Corden's departure and their long-standing friendship in what promises to be an emotional final outing for this hugely popular segment.

Tom Cruise has also been confirmed to appear in a pre-finale sketch that promises to be an “over-the-top” retelling of The Lion King, while President Joe Biden will deliver a short video message.

Why is James Corden leaving The Late Late Show?

Corden first revealed that he would be leaving The Late Late Show during a live recording of an episode that aired back in April 2022, stating that his final show would take place a year later.

Telling his audience that it was a “​​good time to move on and see what else might be out there”, Corden continued to unpack his choices, explaining that: "When I started this journey, it was always going to be just that. It was going to be a journey, an adventure. I never saw it as my final destination, you know?

“I never want this show to overstay its welcome in any way. I always want to love making it."

While he didn’t offer any clues as to what he might do next, he did assure fans that his last show will “go out with a bang” alongside a fair amount of tears.

Later, speaking to Drew Barrymore on her popular talk show, Corden shed some more light on this decision to leave late night.

"Look it’s not easy in any way to walk away from something that is so, I mean, I’ll never work in a better environment than the one I work in now," he told Barrymore. "Nothing about leaving the show was to do with not enjoying it. I love it.

"But the truth is it became a very easy decision… because I always knew it was an adventure and I never, ever considered it to be the final destination."

During the same conversation, Corden explained how the decision was solidified during a family moment that happened while he was shooting his 2022 Prime Video series Mammals.

Read more: James Corden reveals failed audition for Lord Of The Rings

"One day I was filming on a Sunday and I came downstairs, it was about 6 a.m. 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, well it’s Sunday,' and I said, 'I know, buddy, but this schedule’s just all over the place. We 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, adding: "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.'

"If I really want to do this other work, that cannot be at the expense of our children, our family... that is really all it comes down to."

James Corden’s final The Late Late Show will be broadcast on Sky Comedy tonight.