James Corden signed off The Late Late Show for the final time on Thursday night, with a star-studded group of celebrities bidding him goodbye.
"It's been a brilliant adventure," he told good friend Adele who joined him for the final Carpool Karaoke, "but I'm just so certain for us as a family, with people getting older and people that we miss, it's time to go home."
But first, Corden had to complete his final show. It kicked off with a prime-time special, then the episode began with a big musical number set to Donna Summer's "Last Dance" with Corden altering the lyrics to "Last Show."
As befitting Corden's love for theater, the night's biggest star was made to participate in a musical theater production. That star, Tom Cruise, has joined Corden for big-time appearances including an episode where Corden joined Cruise in a fighter jet Cruise was flying. The two also famously went skydiving.
This time, Corden cajoled Cruise into appearing onstage in The Lion King in Los Angeles. The two played the roles of Timon and Pumbaa. Afterward, they dramatized a faux argument interspersed with scenes of their escapades on The Late Late Show that ended with reconciliation on a Los Angeles helipad as they sang "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."Will Ferrell and Harry Styles came by to do a Spill Your Guts segment. Ferrell destroyed the late-night host's signature desk (or a replica of it) with a hammer.
In a pre-recorded segment, late-night show hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Myers, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and even David Letterman came to Corden's bedroom to make sure he was leaving and that he wouldn't spill any late-night secrets. They also asked to inherit Carpool Karaoke for their own shows.
"After a day spent working for me at the White House, I'm surprised you lasted eight years at any job," Biden said. "Thank you for all the joy you've brought to homes across America and a special thanks for never asking me to sing in a car. I can't sing worth a damn."
