Indeed, the depressingly ill-informed white paper on the future of broadcasting published by this week by the Government includes, amongst the deckchair-on-Titanic fiddling, the ambition for British TV “to compete fairly and continue to make shows loved at home and abroad – huge international hits reflecting a vision of a modern UK.” 

This sounds pretty much like Corden’s Late Late Show, where Chris Martin, Adele, Riz Ahmed, Elton John, Harry Styles and Rod Stewart warble in the same carpool karaoke as A$AP Rocky, Stevie Wonder, Madonna and Bruno Mars. Corden and Winston have a strong team of talent spotters, locked into the global phenomenon of Korean boy band BTS – one of the few bands since the Beatles to get four top 10 US albums in under two years – early and hard, giving them shovelfuls of youth at a time when the BBC is appealing mainly to the 60+ demographic.

People may call him fake, people may call him fat, people may call him talentless – and it’s true his drinking and drug taking years meant he lost his way for a while. It’s also true he’s a bit Marmite… But he’s one of our most successful exports. He sings, acts, writes, presents and irritates. Indeed, his nearest equivalent is probably Noel Coward – London suburbs, fake accent, Atlantic reputation and someone you’d never want to see naked. The knighthood must be on its way.