James Corden (44) announced in April 2022 that he would retire as presenter of “The Late Late Show” in 2023. The British actor, presenter and comedian said at the time that he “never saw the US late-night show as my ultimate goal.” Now he spoke to Drew Barrymore (47) about the main reason for his departure.
In general, it’s not easy to say goodbye to such a job, Corden explains on “The Drew Barrymore Show”. He will never be able to work in a better environment than the current one. But the reason for his departure “has nothing […] to do with the fact that I didn’t enjoy it, I love it,” says the moderator.
“But the truth is, it became a very easy decision because I always knew it was an adventure and I never saw it as a final destination,” Corden explains. The 44-year-old explains that he is stopping because of his children. Corden has been married to his wife Julia since 2012, they have their son Max and their two daughters Carey and Charlotte together.
Early Sunday morning, Corden’s then 10-year-old son sat on the stairs and asked him if he had to work today. “I thought, well, it’s Sunday,” the boy said. When Corden explained to him that he actually had to work due to the time pressure of filming, his son became very sad.
Apparently at that moment Corden realized that this had to change: “I got in the car, called my wife Jules and said, ‘I realized that at best we have six more summers with Max where he does too just want to be around us and can’t waste another one.'”
If Corden wants to continue his work in the entertainment industry, it cannot be done “at the expense of our children, our families”. He already knows he will “cry his eyes out” on the final show, but he also knows deep down that it is best for him and his family to settle down in his native London. That feels like the right move for him.
