The Late Late Show to Be Replaced by Reboot of Fan-Favorite Series After James Corden Exit
Following the exit of James Corden from The Late Late Show later this year, it looks like a familiar title might be coming back to the late-night space. On Tuesday, reports indicated that once Corden exits the show this spring, The Late Late Show as an overall franchise will end, after nearly three decades of being hosted by Corden, Craig Ferguson, Craig Kilborn, and Tom Snyder. According to the reports, the time slot might end up being filled by a reboot of @midnight, the late-night game show that aired on Comedy Central from 2013 to 2017. Stephen Colbert, who currently stars in the lead-in to Corden's show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, would executive produce the new revival.
Comedian Chris Hardwick, who hosted the original iteration of @midnight, is reportedly not involved with this new revival. Hardwick was accused of sexual and emotional abuse in 2018 after @midnight's original run, but was later reinstated in his role as host of the string of Talking aftershows on AMC.
What is @midnight about?
In @midnight, three guests compete in a series of Internet-themed improv games, including "Rapid Refresh", "Hashtag Wars, "eBay Price is Right" and "Live Challenges," before culminating in a Jeopardy-like final round called "FTW (For The Win)." The series won multiple Creative Arts Emmy Awards across its run, and featured a number of notable comedians, actors, and Internet personalities.
Why is James Corden leaving The Late Late Show?
Corden explained his exit in a segment of his show last April, and teased that the now-current final season would be them going out "with a bang."
"I never want this show to overstay its welcome in any way," Corden said. "I always want to love making it. And I really think that a year from now, that will be a good time to move on and see what else might be out there."
"We're not leaving today. We still have a year to go and we are all determined to make this the best year we have ever had making this show," Corden continued. "We're going to go out with a bang, there are going to be carpools and crosswalks and sketches and other surprises. And there will be tears, there will be so many tears....This has been the hardest decision I've ever had to make. It really has. I have never taken this job for granted, ever, not once. The fact that you watch us at home, or you watch us online, wherever you are all around the world. The fact that we get to try and entertain you, and spend time with you, is an absolute privilege for me and every single person who makes this show. Here's to the next 12 months. It's going to be a blast, I promise you that."
What do you think of CBS potentially replacing The Late Late Show with a reboot of @midnight? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!