CBS
In 2022, James Corden revealed he was planning to step down as the host of The Late Late Show, the job he’d held since taking over for Craig Ferguson in 2015.
That development came as a crippling blow to fans of Carpool Karaoke, gave the sizeable legion of Corden Haters a reason to rejoice, and caused millions of people who would not have their life impacted whatsoever by his absence to immediately move on after hearing the news.
Corden officially capped off his eight-year run at the helm of The Late Late Show at the end of last month, although his final year behind the desk was marred a bit by accusations concerning his allegedly poor treatment of workers at a restaurant in New York City and a joke he told that sounded suspiciously similar to one Ricky Gervais had already delivered.
As a result, you have to assume Corden is a bit relieved to finally be able to step out of the spotlight in spite of his reputation as someone who has a crippling and undying need for attention.
It’s worth noting the London native cited his desire to move back to England and spent more time with his family as a key factor in his decision to depart The Late Late Show, which he had attempted to position as a fairly natural conclusion.
However, a recent report from Los Angeles Magazine paints a very different picture, as it seems like CBS was also very eager for him to move on based on the financial details that suggest Corden wasn’t exactly a cash cow for the network:
Well-placed sources tell me The Late Late Show was costing $60 million to $65 million a year to produce but was netting less than $45 million.
“It was simply not sustainable,” says one executive. “CBS could not afford him anymore.”
Yikes.