Stephen Colbert will soon take on the role as host of “The Late Show” on CBS, but since Craig Ferguson announced that he too will be exiting this spring, the new host of “The Late Late Show” has been a mystery.
Now some are reporting that British actor and TV personality James Corden will win the gig when Ferguson leaves this December. Corden has appeared in TV shows including “Gavin and Stacey” and “The Wrong Mans” (which he co-created) as well as recent films “Begin Again,” “One Chance” and the upcoming “Into the Woods.”
Corden has a devoted following in the U.K., where his @JKCorden Twitter account currently has more than 4.3 million followers. In a late-night space that is more and more focused on social presence, this could be a definite boon to CBS.
CBS Chairman Nina Tassler has remained silent on “The Late Late Show’s” fate since Ferguson said he’ll be leaving, and throughout summer she has remained silent on any plans. More recently she has said that CBS execs will meet up later in August to discuss possibilities for the show.
Ferguson announced his “Late Late Show” exit on his show back in April after 10 years at the post. He will end his show in December when his contract expires and move on to the syndicated game show “Celebrity Name Game” launching this fall. He originally took over for Craig Kilborn.
Read more at The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap.
Brief Take: Since Ferguson’s announcement that he was stepping down in April, CBS has been silent on what would happen to the 12:35 a.m. timeslot, but news of Corden as a possible replacement points to a shift in late-night at CBS that may be aiming for younger, more socially aware crowds.
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