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Why did CBS end ‘The Late Late Show’ with James Corden?
Along with saying goodbye to the English host, the network also decided to end the show after 28 years on-air.
The final episode of ‘The Late Late Show’ with James Corden proved to be a ratings hit for CBS, but news soon came to light as to why the network opted to end the series entirely.
‘The Late Late Show’ began back in 1995 and was very different from the show hosted by Corden. Initially, a serious show hosted by Tom Snyder, it became more of a comedic program once Snyder left in 1999 and Craig Kilborn took over. Kilborn was later succeeded by Craig Ferguson in 2005, with Corden taking over in 2015.
Why CBS cancelled ‘The Late Late Show’
However, sources revealed that under Corden, the show cost $60-65 million a year to produce, while only bringing in less than $45 million. “It was simply not sustainable,” the source, an anonymous executive, revealed. “CBS could not afford him anymore.”
According to Variety, Corden’s salary was in the $4-5 million range when he first signed on to host the show back in 2015. However, his pay increased by an undisclosed amount in 2019 in order to keep the British host for another three years. Deadline reported in February 2023 that the network was planning on pulling the plug on ‘The Late Late Show’ entirely.
Looking back a year later, it’s evident that financial concerns were indeed the primary factor in the cancellation of popular show. With production costs outweighing revenue, CBS found it unsustainable to continue. Corden’s escalating salary, a remnant of his initial deal renewal in 2019, added to the financial strain. The decision to cancel was believed to have been a difficult one for CBS, but a necessary step to ensure fiscal responsibility.
What was Corden’s final ‘Late Late Show’ episode?
The final episode of ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden’ aired on 27 April 2023, with an impressive 1.43 million viewers tuning in. A primetime special edition of their well-loved Carpool Karaoke segment was also aired that evening, which brought in 3.65 million viewers. That figure was a significant boost compared to their last primetime special, which aired in May 2019 and brought in 2.77 million viewers.
Corden’s last episode featured several notable celebrity guests who had been on the show in the past, with Harry Styles and Will Ferrell serving as the final in-studio guests. He also did a segment with Tom Cruise where they acted in a version of ‘The Lion King’ and sang along to some tunes with Adele in his last Carpool Karaoke.
Corden, who released his autobiography ‘May I Have Your Attention, Please?: The Autobiography’ is appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live on 2 April. You can watch it on ABC.