James Corden will make his debut as host of CBS’ Late Late Show March 9, 2015, the network announced Thursday. Ben Winston has been tapped to serve as executive producer for the new version of the show.
A friend of Corden since both were 17 years old, Winston has been a frequent collaborator of the British comic, producing the Brit Awards during Corden’s 4-year run as host and working with him on sketches for BBC1’s Red Nose Day telethons. Currently, Winston serves as executive producer on the U.K. version of The X Factor.
“We’re excited to begin CBS’ next chapter after midnight and introduce James’ wide range of performance talents and fearless creative instincts to American television viewers,” said CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler. “He and Ben have been friends for a long time and partnered together on a variety of successful projects. They are a creatively dynamic and very energetic host/producer combination.”
CBS announced in September that Corden will succeed Craig Ferguson, whose contract ends in December, as host of the 12:30 a.m. The Late Late Show. The move came toward the end of a series of shifts in late-night television that began in April when David Letterman announced that he would step down as host of CBS’ 11:30 p.m. Late Show in 2015. Stephen Colbert was soon named Letterman’s successor. No date for Letterman’s last show or Colbert’s first has yet been announced.
The Late Late Show will continue to be shot in CBS’ Television City facility in Los Angeles. Ferguson’s last show will be Dec. 19.
