Corden renews contract
CBS host will stay on through 2022
LOS ANGELES James Corden has signed a new deal with CBS that will see him stay on as host of The Late Late Show through 2022.
The Brit had been in advanced negotiations with the studio since May, and the new deal is sure to see him score a substantial bump in pay. The previous deal he inked when he came to the network from the U.K. in 2014 was set to expire at the end of the upcoming 2019-20 season.
Corden’s salary under that previous deal was believed to have started in the US$4 million-$5 million range, however, his pay has since climbed in accordance with the success of The Late Late Show.
This year has been a stellar one for Corden, who recently received the most Emmy nominations for any individual performer this cycle with seven, including his fourth in a row for variety talk series. To date, Corden has seven Emmy statuettes to his name.
Keeping Corden in The Late Late Show hot seat was a top priority for CBS given the recent resurgence of Stephen Colbert, who has jumped to the No. 1 spot in late night, and his ability to generate viral content online. Corden’s Carpool Karaoke, which began life as a Late Late Show segment, took off and has since spawned a string of prime time specials and a dedicated series for Apple.
“James Corden has burned his way to the top of American television with a daring, energetic and inventive broadcast that stands out in the late-night space,” said CBS chief creative office David Nevins.
Corden debuted as host of The Late Late Show in March 2015. The British actor-comedian was a gamble for CBS as he came in with limited experience other than hosting the popular sports-related game show A League of Their Own. He gained fame in the U.K. for his work as creator and co-star of the cult BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, which ran from 2007 to 2010 and which he is currently rebooting in the form of an hour-long Christmas special.
Corden has become a big presence on CBS outside of The Late Late Show as a frequent host of special events. He hosted CBS’S Grammy Awards telecasts in 2016 and 2017 and acted as MC for the Tony Awards both this year and back in 2016. Corden won a Tony in 2012 for his work on Broadway. He joins Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah and Samantha Bee in the lineup of latenight hosts signed to their respective desks until 2022.