This news can either make 1D's fans jump in delight or cry in the corner.
James Corden has always had a fondness for the members of One Direction. During his eight years as host of the “Late Late Show,” James has hosted and performed skits with the members of the popular boy band. Given their mutual affection, it was inevitable that rumors would circulate that Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson would reunite with the band for Corden’s final curtain call.
Nobody adores the boys more than us, but this story is not valid, tweeted the official account for the show. “What is true is that we have a 2-hour finale planned to celebrate 8 years of #LateLateShow on April 27 at 10 p.m.,” the tweet continued.
The British band, which consisted of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, formally disbanded in 2016 after achieving global renown in the 2010s. Since then, all members have pursued solo careers, with Styles mainly thriving.
In an interview with Esquire published last week, Horan revealed that he still submits his unreleased music to his former bandmates for feedback. Horan stated, “This time, I sent it to Louis [Tomlinson], and he gave me his honest opinion, which is always useful. Over the years, we’ve released enough music to know what’s good and not… I will always attempt to send it to the 1D boys and other artists to get their feedback.”
In May 2015, shortly after Malik’s departure from the group, Styles, Horan, Payne, and Tomlinson crammed into a minivan for a “Carpool Karaoke” segment on “The Late Late Show.” Payne has performed “Strip That Down” and participated in a “Boy Bands vs. Solo Artists Riff-Off” with Corden over the years, while Horan has done his own “Carpool” segment, a parody of “500 Miles” and, just last month, a musical pirate comedy.
Tomlinson appeared on the show last year and performed “Bigger Than Me;” he also participated in several sketches over the years and was willing to discuss whether he was amenable to being kidnapped in another long-running One Direction bit.
Over the years, Styles has permitted Corden to film a low-budget music video for him, participated in a week-long residency, performed a very spicy rendition of “Spill Your Guts” with Kendall Jenner, guest hosted, filmed his own “Carpool” journey, and even performed at a Crosswalk Concert.
Corden, who succeeded Craig Ferguson as host of “The Late Late Show” in 2015, announced in April 2022 that he would be stepping down to pursue other projects, ultimately contributing to the show’s cancellation after nearly three decades of broadcasting.
Seeing the One Direction lads in a single frame, particularly on “The Late Late Show,” appears to be a fan’s distant dream.