Adele joins James Corden for emotional Carpool Karaoke finale
Adele broke down in tears while discussing her divorce as she joined James Corden for the final Carpool Karaoke in his last week as host of the The Late Late Show on the US network CBS.
Corden took over The Late Late Show in 2015, replacing the Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. He announced last year that he would be leaving the show and returning to the UK, with Corden’s last episode airing on Thursday.
The Carpool Karaoke part of the show quickly became its breakout hit, and Corden’s first segment with Adele became a viral hit, amassing more than 260m views.
In the final Carpool Karaoke episode, released on Monday, the singer became visibly emotional over Corden’s decision to return to the UK.
“It’s been a crazy eight years,” said Corden. “In one sense it feels like it’s gone like that [clicks fingers] and in another I feel like I don’t remember what life was like before being here.”
Adele said: “I’ve never lived in LA without you guys so I’m a bit nervous about it, to be honest with you, and very, very sad.”
During their conversation, Corden revealed some of the difficulties he had faced in persuading celebrities to take part in Carpool Karaoke when he first came to the US.
He recalled how the team eventually managed to persuade Mariah Carey to agree, but that before she got in the car she told him she would only “do the chat” and would not sing.
Corden knew he had to convince her to change her mind to make a success of the feature, and he succeeded.
“There’s been some bloody brilliant ones, and a few [bleeped out] ones,” Adele laughed, asking Corden to name a favourite.
“Stevie Wonder changed it a lot,” he replied, “because when he did it, other artists were like, ‘Well, if Stevie Wonder’s done it, I’ll do it.’”
Adele revealed how Corden and his family had been “so integral in looking after” her and her son following her split from her former husband, Simon Konecki, in 2019.
The couple divorced in March 2021, and Adele revealed that she and her son Angelo, 10, had gone on a family trip with Corden, his wife, Julia Carey, and their three children.
“And we were on our way home and my mood had changed,” Adele said. “It was like the first year that I felt like I had to hold myself accountable, for just being an adult, whereas the year before that where I left Simon, you and Jules and the kids were so integral in looking after me and Angelo.”
“You were like an adult with me. You and Julia would always give me this advice.”
Adele’s Carpool Karaoke segment will also be broadcast on Thursday’s show, bookending a series that has also featured Elton John, Madonna, BTS, Blackpink, Britney Spears, Paul McCartney, Céline Dion, and Billie Eilish.