Summary

• James Corden's career took a hit after leaving The Late Late Show, with many people disliking him due to his on-screen personality and reported off-camera conduct.
• Critics find Corden to be rude and fake in interviews, interrupting and talking over guests, and being overly dominant in his fan-favorite Carpool Karaoke segment.
• Corden's behavior off-camera has caused controversy, with reports of him yelling at directors and humiliating writers, as well as being rude to waiting staff at a restaurant. Despite the hatred, Corden left the show to be closer to his family in London and give his kids a fun upbringing. No controversial reasons for his departure were stated.

James Corden experienced a career skyrocket when he brought the world Carpool Karaoke while hosting The Late Late Show, but respect for the British actor turned talk show host has dwindled since he "broke" America — leading many to wonder why people hate James Corden is a fair question. The British performer is best known for succeeding Craig Ferguson as host of The Late Late Show in 2015, becoming one of the most popular talk show hosts. By the time he left in 2023, however, opinion toward him seemed to have soured dramatically.

Corden was already a well-known name in the UK thanks to his previous comedy works. He rose to fame with the UK sitcom Gavin & Stacey before relocating to the US, acting in multiple Hollywood movies such as Cats, and The Prom, and voicing characters like Peter Rabbit and Biggie in Trolls. However, the TV host appears to have returned to his homeland on a less-than-positive note — but the James Corden hatred didn't come out of nowhere. There are several reasons many people dislike James Corden, both because of his on-screen personality, and what's been reported of his off-camera conduct.

Why So Many People Dislike James Corden

The British Comedian Is A Divisive Figure

The James Corden hate re-emerged following his departure from The Late Late Show with James Corden, but it's not a new phenomenon. While the finale was watched by millions and clips of the show have already garnered millions of views on The Late Late Show YouTube channel, critics of Corden have commented negatively about the episode. This followed a rough couple of years of Corden controversy, such as The Late Late Show segment "Crosswalk the Musical," which saw the host gyrating at people stuck in traffic. Then, many Friends fans voiced their grievances that Corden hosted Friends: The Reunion.

However, the most recent James Corden controversies are just the latest and have trailed him throughout his career.

However, the most recent James Corden controversies are just the latest and have trailed him throughout his career, as even when he was at his most popular he was still divisive. Critics cite that they don’t buy his “nice guy” image, finding him to be rude and fake in interviews, where he sometimes interrupts or talks over guests. The Peter Rabbit 2 actor has also been accused that he “constantly needs to sing over” his guests in the fan-favorite segment Carpool Karaoke, and others believe he has crossed the fine line between funny and offensive multiple times.

Numerous accounts exist that call into question Corden's off-camera personal conduct, many widely documented by the media.

Numerous accounts exist that call into question Corden's off-camera personal conduct, many widely documented by the media. There was also the infamous and very uncomfortable encounter with Patrick Stewart at the 2010 Glamor Awards (via YouTube). It doesn’t help that Corden's performance in The Prom as an LGBTQ+ character was seen as stereotypical and offensive, and his Golden Globe nomination for the role only heightened the outrage.

Ultimately, the answer to why people don't like James Corden is complicated. Some attribute it to the audience not wanting to see actors from across the pond succeed in Hollywood, his comedy being “bland”, having to rely heavily on celebrity cameos rather than on the quality of his comedy, and his off-screen behavior. So many people's dislike of James Corden has spawned a petition against his Wicked casting. While it certainly isn't confirmed that negative criticism influenced his decision to leave The Late Late Show, it likely had an impact.

James Corden Is Controversial Behind The Scenes Too

His Behavior Off-Camera Has Caused A Stir

Corden has been the recipient of criticism not just from viewers at home but from other significant industry workers too. British TV director Craig Duncan worked with Corden on the British game show, The League of their Own, where the host was ultimately telling the director how to direct (via Decider). When speaking with the crew about how to shoot the scene, Corden apparently intervened, yelling, "What the f*** is going on here? It’s obvious what you do... It’s so obvious how you shoot it, it’s stupid." This happened after Duncan had already observed Corden ridiculing and embarrassing a writer.

Restaurateur Keith McNally, who owns the Manhattan French brasserie Balthazar, banned Corden from the brasserie in 2022, as McNally claimed the host was rude to the waiting staff on not one but two separate occasions.

Corden has also reportedly been rude to the staff of some of the projects he has been involved in. When asked by Jimmy Fallon to name two members of his Late Late Show crew in the "Spill Your Guts" segment, he couldn't do it and opted to drink a fish smoothie instead. The James Corden controversy outside his duties as a performer too.

Restaurateur Keith McNally, who owns the Manhattan French brasserie Balthazar, banned Corden from the brasserie in 2022, as McNally claimed the host was rude to the waiting staff on not one but two separate occasions (via Mama Mia). According to McNally, Corden demanded two rounds of free drinks for his party after he found a hair in his food, threatening to post a bad review on Yelp.

On the second occasion, Corden allegedly yelled at the waiting staff after he found egg white in his Wife's omelet. Things got more out of hand when the waiter brought her a new omelet with a side of fries, not the side salad that she ordered. James Corden is alleged to have screamed:

"You can't do your job! You can't do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelet myself!"

McNelly wrapped up his story about his experience with Corden by calling him "a tiny cretin of a man. And the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago."

Why James Corden Left The Late Late Show

James Corden Didn't Quit Because Of Criticism

Despite the James Corden hatred that's run rampant both online and in the media, his decision to step down from The Late Late Show was purely due to geography and familial circumstances. While some media outlets have tried to create a narrative stating otherwise, there's been no controversial announcements from any parties involved about why Corden left The Late Late Show. It had nothing to do with why people don't like James Corden.

Instead, the host left the show to be closer to his family and to give his kids a fun upbringing in London (via The Independent). Corden reached this decision after having to cancel a summer holiday due to work, explaining:

"When I told Max [about canceling the holiday], he looked so sad, and I had this sudden revelation of the maths: we’ve only got six more summers with the kids, before they start wanting to go off with their mates. Six if we’re lucky."

Despite James Corden's clear communication about leaving The Late Late Show, the prevailing rumor among the public is that he was fired. During an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Corden humorously recounted the disbelief he encounters: "No one believes that I wasn’t fired." He added that when he shares his desire for his children to grow closer to their grandparents, the response is typically dismissive. This persistent doubt highlights how deeply ingrained the idea is that no one would willingly leave such a lucrative and comfortable position unless forced out. Corden explained (via The Wrap):

What James Corden Is In Next: Upcoming TV & Movie Projects

There Isn't Much On James Corden's Horizon Yet

Despite the James Corden hatred, it's definitely not keeping the actor down. The Peter Rabbit franchise is set to continue after the announcement of Peter Rabbit 3. Director Will Gluck announced that he's already working on the script for the next sequel. James Corden's movie appearance as the protagonist wasn't well-received, but the movies were still hits and he'll return nonetheless. In addition to the Peter Rabbit franchise, Corden could be cast in more movies, particularly when it comes to voice-acting work. Regardless of what people think, he has a strong animated voice that lends itself well to animated movies.

In a significant shift back to his theatrical roots, James Corden is set to captivate London's theater scene with his upcoming role in Joe Penhall’s political drama, The Constituent, at the Old Vic theater (via The Guardian). This marks his first stage appearance since his acclaimed performance in One Man, Two Guvnors. In The Constituent, James Corden will portray an ex-serviceman whose tumultuous life brings him into sharp conflict in a constituency office, opposite Anna Maxwell Martin, who plays an idealistic opposition backbencher. The show is scheduled to run from June 13 to August 10.