James Corden has often cited his Carpool Karaoke episode with Paul McCartney as his all-time favorite. However, in a recent chat with the Paley Center for Media, the former Late Late Show host revealed just how challenging it was to keep McCartney committed to the segment, calling the experience both “thrilling” and unpredictable.
Since McCartney was already familiar with the format, explaining the details wasn’t difficult, and he and Corden had a friendly rapport. Initially, the legendary Beatle was eager to participate. “He said, ‘I’m in, I’ll do it, I can’t wait,’” Corden recalled. They even began planning the route and discussing the climactic surprise performance.
But then, hesitation crept in. About a month later, McCartney abruptly backed out, citing cold feet. Two weeks passed, and he was back on board—only to change his mind yet again just days before they were scheduled to fly to Liverpool. Corden received an email stating, “He just feels this is the wrong sort of thing for him right now. He’d still like to do it one day.”
Despite the back-and-forth, McCartney ultimately went through with the segment, and the result was nothing short of legendary. His episode remains one of the most beloved moments in Carpool Karaoke history.
