James Corden has quit The Late Late Show after seven years to move back to UK with his family

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James Corden has announced he is to quit The Late Late Show after seven years to move back to UK with his family.

Back in October it was reported bosses were keen to keep him at the helm of the popular series – and were willing to pay him £15 million to keep him as the host for another two years.

But he has turned down the offer of a multimillion pound contract and announced the news in a statement during a taping of the show on Thursday.

Although his contract was set to end in August, the star announced he will stay until next spring.

Speaking on the show he said while tearing up: “When I started this journey it was always going to be just that, it was going to be a journey, an adventure.

“I never saw it as my final destination, and I never want this show to overstay it’s welcome. I always want to love making it. I really think in a year from now that will be a good time to move on to see what else is out there.

“We are all determined to make this the best year we have ever had. We are going to go out with a bang.”

He continued to say it was “one of the hardest decisions,” saying: “There’ll be tears, so many tears, ‘cuz this has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I never took this for granted, ever.”

CBS president George Cheeks said in a statement: “We wish he could stay longer, but we are very proud he made CBS his American home and that this partnership will extend one more season on The Late Late Show.”

A source close to the presenter told The Sun: “James and Jules have had barely any time to see their families in the UK over the past few years due to his work schedule.

“Their plan is to try to spend more time in the UK once he finishes The Late Late Show next year.”

The 43-year-old TV host has fronted the late night talk show for the past six years, and last year as his contract’s expiration was looming, there were reports spiralling about what he would decide to do.

At the time it was widely reported that bosses were willing to pay him millions of pounds to keep him as the host of the hit chat show for another two years.

The £15million deal would have made James the highest paid British TV personality – outstripping the pay deals that Ant and Dec enjoy on ITV.

At the time a source told The Sun: “CBS has no plan B, James is their guy and who they see staying with them.

“He is one of the faces of the network, he fronts a massively successful show and drives lots of traffic to them online. The figures that are being discussed are around £15m for two years.

“That may sound a lot, but James brings so much to the table for CBS. Unlike his rivals, his online segments, including Carpool Karaoke and Crosswalk Musical, are huge global web hits, making huge revenues on top.”

CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl told Deadline: “We love James and he is and has been doing a terrific job. We don’t comment on the status of negotiations.”

Back in 2020 after coronavirus restrictions made travelling between the US and the UK difficult, there were rumours that the Gavin and Stacey star and creator was keen to move back to the UK due to being homesick.

Family man James raises kids Max, Carey, and Charlotte, with his wife Julia Carey, and admitted that his family have: “walked to the beat of my drum for a very long time”.

At the time of the rumours The Sun quoted James saying: “I have a couple of years to go on this contract. Ending the show will always be a bigger family decision than a professional one.

“It will be about people at home who we miss very, very much, who we are homesick for.

“I also feel like my wife and I have three young children, and they are three young grandchildren that we’ve taken away from people.

“This probably feels particularly magnified now during the pandemic, but I have an overwhelming feeling that our family has walked to the beat of my drum for a very long time.”

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