James Corden Reunites 'Late Late Show' Team for Fox's World Cup 'After Hours' Show
· 3 min read ·
Three years after signing off from CBS' "The Late Late Show," James Corden has returned to television with a project he describes as impossible to refuse. The British entertainer is currently hosting "After Hours With James Corden," a nightly World Cup after show on Fox that debuted on June 11 and runs through the tournament final on July 19.
Speaking on the "Daily Variety" podcast, Corden explained that the invitation from Fox Sports stood apart from the many hosting offers he has received since stepping away from late-night television. The chance to build a show around his lifelong passion for football, combined with a clearly defined five-week commitment, made the decision straightforward once he weighed it carefully.
A Clubhouse Full of Soccer History
The "After Hours" set sits directly beside the studio used by Fox Sports' World Cup anchor team, which includes Rebecca Lowe, Thierry Henry, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. The space is designed to evoke a football clubhouse, filled with memorabilia ranging from photographs of legendary and current players to match balls, cleats, flags, and pennants. Scarves representing fan loyalty to clubs around the world are scattered throughout the set.
One particularly striking feature is a life-size wax figure of Brazilian icon Pelé, on loan from Madame Tussauds in London. The figure anchors a set that Corden and his team designed to feel immersive and celebratory of the sport's global culture.
Reassembling a Trusted Creative Team
What made the project especially appealing to Corden was the opportunity to reunite key members of his "Late Late Show" production staff for a limited engagement. Executive producer Ben Winston and former head writer Ian Karmel both joined the venture, with Karmel joining Corden and British football great Rio Ferdinand around a large table for nightly discussion.
Winston, who collaborated with Corden on a similar after show for the United Kingdom's ITV during the 2010 World Cup, admitted that the experience reminded him how much he had missed the daily grind of live television production. The offer originally came from Rob Wade, CEO of Fox Entertainment, more than a year before the tournament began.
Corden acknowledged that he was initially hesitant about returning to any hosting role. He had largely concluded that his time as a nightly host had ended with "The Late Late Show." However, the finite nature of the commitment and the subject matter gradually changed his mind. He described the realization that turning down the opportunity would have been foolish, given that the show had a clear endpoint and revolved around a topic he deeply loves.
Reflections on Leaving Late Night
The World Cup project also prompted Corden to reflect on his April 2023 departure from "The Late Late Show" after eight years. He expressed pride in the program's legacy and the work his team accomplished during its run. He also noted that the timing of his exit proved fortuitous, as the show wrapped barely a week before the writers' strike halted production across the industry on May 2, 2023.
Corden recalled a conversation with David Staff, who oversees CBS Studios, during a Paleyfest event held near the end of the show's run. Standing backstage while a highlight reel played, Staff remarked on the sadness of the moment. Corden countered that he did not see it that way, explaining that had he accepted the contract extension CBS had offered, the network would soon have required significant budget reductions. He estimated that cutting roughly $10 million from the budget would have meant shrinking the team, fundamentally altering the creative environment that defined the program.
Staff reportedly responded that the changes Corden anticipated would have arrived within six weeks, not two years. Corden said this confirmed his belief that ending the show when he did was the right decision. He has watched from the United Kingdom as the late-night landscape has continued to shift, including controversy surrounding the end of Stephen Colbert's CBS program under pressure from the Trump administration and scrutiny now directed at ABC's Jimmy Kimmel by Trump and the FCC.
For now, Corden is focused on the nightly joy of producing "After Hours" with colleagues he trusts, covering a tournament he loves. The five-week engagement has proven to be a creative homecoming of sorts, and he describes the experience of working alongside familiar faces again as nothing short of glorious. If you enjoyed this story, share it with fellow football fans and let others know about Corden's World Cup venture.
