When CBS announces Craig Ferguson’s replacement on “The Late Late Show,” many are expecting to hear the name “James Corden.”
According to The Wrap, the 35-year-old actor and comedian is poised to take over for Ferguson when the late-night host departs “The Late Late Show” in December.
CBS declined to comment, but the potential new host has likely left some scratching their heads. As The Wrap notes, Corden isn’t as much of a household name as other rumored contenders like Joel McHale and Neil Patrick Harris.
So should Corden become the future “Late Late” king at 12:35 a.m., here’s what the unfamiliar should know:
1. He’s already a familiar face in Britain
If you’re a fan of U.K. programming, you probably already know James Corden well. As an actor he got his start in the 1997 dramedy “24 7: Twenty Four Seven,” and then bounced around between film, the stage and TV, including an appearance on “Doctor Who.”
In 2008, he won a BAFTA for television comedy performance with the series he co-created and starred in, “Gavin & Stacey.”
2. You’ll see more of him this year at the movies
If you’ve seen Keira Knightley’s musical drama with Mark Ruffalo, “Begin Again,” then you spotted Corden playing Steve, the best friend of Knightley’s character.
This fall, Corden’s also starring as “Britain’s Got Talent” winner Paul Potts in the October biopic “One Chance,” and he’ll play the Baker in Disney’s anticipated December release, “Into the Woods.”
3. He has a strong social media following
He may not be as well-known Stateside as he is overseas, but The Wrap points out that Corden has something CBS execs would want: 4.3 million followers on Twitter. As late-night hosts from Jimmy Fallon to Stephen Colbert have shown, having a social army can only help.
4. He’s a Tony winner
How does Corden do in front of a live audience? Just fine, apparently. When Corden starred in the play “One Man, Two Guvnors” on Broadway, he won a Tony for it in 2012.
5. Yes, he has some hosting and interviewing experience
In addition to co-hosting the sports-themed comedy show “A League of Their Own,” Corden’s manned the stage for the BRIT Awards since 2011, after first hosting the music show in 2009.
