James Corden has said that he felt “deeply unprepared” to talk about mass shootings and terrorist attacks on The Late Late Show.
The British comedian has hosted the US talk show since 2015, with his tenure coming to an end in the early hours of Friday morning (28 April). You can find out everything you need to know about his final episode here.
While the chat show was known for its light-hearted segments, such as Carpool Karaoke and Spill Your Guts, the episode would often open with Corden discussing the biggest headlines of the day.
Speaking ahead of the final show, the Gavin and Stacey creator admitted that having to speak on such heavy topics was one thing he struggled with throughout his eight years on the show.
“When talking about those moments when there’s a mass shooting or a national disaster or any of those things, what I’ve tried to do, is just be as honest as I can and in some way offer comfort and perspective,” the 44-year-old told People.
“It’s really hard. It’s hard sometimes to find the words to say. I really, really won’t miss doing that.”
One such moment came in 2017, when the Manchester Arena was the subject of a terrorist attack following an Ariana Grande concert. 23 people were killed, including the bomber.
The episode began with Corden delivering an emotional monologue to the empty studio, saying: “It shocks me every time we hear this sort of news. That attacks like this can happen, but especially when there will be so many children at this concert tonight.”
Discussing speaking about the Manchester bombing, Corden said: “If I’m honest, it’s something I was deeply unprepared for.
“It never occurred to me that when I was hosting the show, that we would have to talk about these things and these moments and you’re reactive to the day’s news.”
During his final episode of Carpool Karaoke, which aired earlier this week and featured Adele, Corden opened up about leaving The Late Late Show.
Admitting he was “excited and scared in equal measure” to be leaving the show and returning to London, he added: “It’s been a crazy eight years.”
