James Corden exits as 'The Late Late Show' loses revenue

James Corden is heading back to his home in the U.K. after eight years of hosting "The Late Late Show" and according to reports, he is leaving because his show is no longer profitable.

The 44-year-old announced his departure last April and called it a difficult decision to make. Reports about his departure are varied, with some saying that CBS asked him to stay. The network's CEO George Cheeks had wished he "could stay longer."

But an anonymous executive told Brian Shelter for Los Angeles Magazine that "The Late Late Show" with James Corden "was simply not sustainable" and that "CBS could not afford him anymore." Production reportedly costs $60 to $65 million a year but it was only netting less than $45 million.

Keeping Corden on board was also expensive. He signed up to host the show in 2015 and was paid a hefty sum of around $4 to $5 million, according to Variety. He received a pay raise and a three-year extension on his contract in 2019 because of the success of his show.

But that success has since waned. According to Deadline, his show was not getting enough viewers with its 2020-2021 season only averaging 971,000 viewers, as opposed to Seth Meyer's "Late Night," which is also on the 12:30 a.m. Eastern time slot, which averaged 1.01 million viewers.

The farewell episode on April, 27, Thursday, had the largest viewership since January 2021. It was up by 77% from the season-to-date average live+same-day viewership, which was about 806,000, as 1.43M people tuned in for the final run of the show.

But for Corden, it was time to pack up his bags and return to the U.K. where he could spend more time with his family and do the things he wants to do. One of his friends told Shelter the "schedule held him back from the shows and movies he wanted to do."

Corden also admitted in an interview with Jimmy Fallon a few months ago, "I'm just leaving the show primarily because we're a long way from home, and we really want our children to know what it's like to grow up in London, to have a solid relationship with their grandparents, and that is time that you don't get back, really."

He also told Extra last year that he "just didn't want to ever get to a point" where he would get bored hosting the show. He explained that by the time they finish, he would have done like 1,400 episodes. "That's a lot. I know that in America, these jobs are positions that people take for 10, 15, 20, 25 years. It was never ever going to be that for me."

He also factored in his family in making his decision to leave. He shares children Carey, Max, and Charlotte with his wife, Julia Carey. He said, "My kids are getting older, their grandparents are getting older, and it perhaps just felt like the right time for us as a family to be freer in our decisions."

During his time on the "Late Late Show," the "Cats" actor launched his segments called "Carpool Karaoke" and "Spill Your Guts." He has also invited a slew of A-list celebrities and even got to do a comedy sketch with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House.

Corden ended his show with an emotional appeal for unity in the U.S. and asked the audience "to remember what America signifies to the rest of the world" because for him it "has always been a place of optimism and joy." He implored viewers to "Look for the light. Look for the joy, because if you do, it's out there. And that's all this show has ever been about." He also shared his pride for the show and what it has accomplished over the years.