James Corden ON Work-Life Balance, Family Struggles, & The REAL Reason He Left Late-Night

step out of a curtain and 400 people. will go nuts and you've got to remember. the other side of this camera is a sign. that says Applause Tony and Emmy winning. a was on TV screens for8 years the man. himself James Gordon I went upstairs and. I sat in his room and I just went to him. uh I need you to know that I haven't. changed I love you more than you'll ever. know and he went.

before we jump into this episode I'd. like to invite you to join this. community to hear more interviews that. will help you become happier healthier. and more healed all I want you to do is. click on the Subscribe button I love. your support it's incredible to see all. your comments and we're just getting. started I can't wait to go on this. journey with you thank you so much for. subscribing it means the world to me the. number one Health and Wellness podcast J. shett J shett the one the only Jett.

James it is truly a honor and privilege. to have you here today because I have to. be honest with you I've been a huge huge. huge fan ever since Smithy and comic. relief and I was at the Grove just a. couple of weeks ago and I was. remembering how that sketch started. there you yeah and you walk into one of. the rooms and you're with the and so. I've been such a huge fan from day one. and watching you and admiring your.

journey seeing you go crushing it from. the UK through to the US and you know I. moved to the us a few years after you. did but just getting to see the impact. you had there the amazing amazing. content that you've created I'm a big. fan of whether it's spill your guts or. carpo karaoke every single segment you. guys produce such a huge fan and so to. be able to sit with you and even the few. moments we've just spent together off. camera I've already enjoyed your company. but I wanted to start off by just saying. I'm a huge fan and thank you for doing.

this so I'm a huge fan yours I think. what you've done is is really uh quite. extraordinary actually I I really think. I think it's actually deeper than a a. successful podcast or show or book I I. think what you've done really I think. and I'm sure I'm certainly not the first. person to say this to you is you've. created like a safe place for people to. talk about to talk about mental health. health everything you know what I mean. feelings the depth that that I I I think. is of course we're more aware of today.

than we were a decade ago and certainly. a decade before that and I think you're. you're a real big part of that and I'm a. real fan of the show and it's given me a. a lot over the years so it's a real. thrill to be here and I hope I can be. deep enough to fulfill the needs. required you know well for everyone. everyone who doesn't know everything. that James was saying to me off camera. just now like James save it I need I. need you to say it again because it was. it was so it was perfect but James I was. thinking about this I was looking at.

your journey and I was seeing like you. went from writing right Gavin and Stacy. amazing success gone to the West End. amazing success Broadway Tony Award. amazing success then moving off into. late night amazing success and there was. something I was observing about you and. I felt that what I saw in you was. someone who had the ability to. continuously disrupt themselves take. risks and innovate when it seemed like. there was a clear path and I wonder.

whether what's the decision you've made. right now is almost the same thing that. you've said I don't want the safe option. I'm willing to take the risk would you. agree with that yes I I I think so I. mean it's really lovely of you to say. that there's there's also misses in the. middle of that do you know what I mean. like I think it's very important to say. that that curve could also be looked you. know what I mean there's there's as many. misses as there is hits you just want to. keep that ratio as as clean as you can.

you know in the sort of last sort of six. months since finishing the show and then. the few months before that after when we. announced that we were ending the show. lots of people would. say uh you know they would ask why. you're doing this and why would you. leave such a thing and such a contract. and offer and all that th those things. which I I completely understand I've. always been able to. separate work and. life and that the two one shouldn't. outweigh the other does that does that. make sense that that actually you have.

to go well I know that for my. career Ruth and I could have Ruth Jones. who I co-wrote Gavin and Stacy with. which was a a show that became. successful in in the. UK we we could have of course have. carried on writing that show and making. more episodes of that show but I don't. know that that was at the time feeding. our life you know I was wasn't feeding. mine it wasn't feeding ruths it was like. we've done that it's time to stop we. have to do something else and then you.

know I I love being in plays I love. being in the theater and when I was in. One Man 2 Governors or or The History. Boys there was a path where you could. say well I could carry on doing this and. there were moments or opportunities to. perhaps go and do another play after. that but it was like well I don't know. that that's going to feed my life so I. think the the key from what or what I'm. trying to do is go well if my work is. feeding my my life and my family then.

it's of benefit and if it isn't then it. won't be and I think some people perhaps. often just look at their career as being. the. primary thing in their life or the work. is the thing I'm going to do this and. I'm going to do that then I'm going to. do this then I'm going to do that and. you have to go no no but but how is that. feeding your life and your soul and who. you are as. a friend son brother husband father you. know and that's that's the thing I think. I've I've always thought about so the.

decision to end the show had nothing to. do with not enjoying it anymore it had. nothing to do with it not being fun. financially of course it was fantastic. but then it got to a point where I was. like is it feeding me and us as a family. is this environment what we want now I. don't think it is okay well then we're. going to then we're just going to turn. it over and shake it and see what it is. the other side of that yeah the thing I.

keep coming back to all the time in. my in my life a lot recently is just to. constantly say well we don't know yet we. don't know I don't know yet I I can't. tell you if it was a good thing or a bad. thing to stop the show I don't know I. will only know in a year or two years or. maybe five years time because you just. don't know you don't know at all you. know in the same time that you might. accept a role over here and when you get. that job people are go oh my God this is.

the greatest thing ever and you say I. well we don't know me and my friend. Louie very dear friend of mine Louie who. moved to the moved to America to come. and write on The Late Late Show you know. uprooted his family move he didn't have. a family at the time had two kids in the. eight and a half years we were there we. wrote a TV show together which got. picked up at Hulu I wasn't going to be. in it we just created this show and then. a few months later we wrote two scripts.

and they really love the first script. and we wrote the second script and they. said look we we're just we're not going. to make this show happens all the time. and we were I was really bummed and my. friend Louie said the best thing he was. like look if they'd have picked it up it. might have been the worst thing to ever. happen to us we might have fallen out we. might have who knows what would have. happened it might have been a disaster. we just don't know yeah you have no idea. yeah don't know anything you've reminded. me of this beautiful Zen story where.

a farmer finds a new horse story you. know the story amazing yeah the farmer. finds a new horse and everyone's excited. and they're like wow this beautiful. horse you just came upon it like how. lucky are you and he says good thing bad. thing who knows yeah and then his son's. riding the horse and he looks incredible. but then all of a sudden he gets tipped. off the horse and his son falls off and. breaks his leg and everyone's like oh no. this is the worst thing ever like if. only you didn't bring that horse in and. he says good thing bad thing who knows. and the story continues and hearing you.

say that it's really honest of you to. share that though because I think. sometimes when we make a decision we. often feel like we have to convince. ourself it's the best decision in order. to make it through but for you to. actually have the vulnerability to say I. actually don't know that takes a lot of. Courage well I I do know that that. ending the show I do I do know that the. the reasons for it are absolutely right. no question.

but but you don't know you don't know. how those things will you just don't. know you don't know any of it so if you. can accept all of it if you can just say. well this. is this is it this is this is life what. we're doing now me and you sitting here. this is it we're doing it you're alive. and if I think sometimes the expectation. of stuff is the thing which really ruins. stuff your expectation of what a holiday. might be your expectation of what.

Christmas day was going to be like is. the is actually the problem the thing. that happened on holiday or the the. argument you had on Christmas day that's. not really the issue I didn't have an. argument on Christmas Day I'm just using. as example that's the thing I think is. is your expectation of well when I do. this my life will be like that and I. think my I think I've thought that a lot. of my life when I get my driver's. license my life will be like this when I. get a girlfriend my life when get my.

when I move out of my parents house my. life is going to be like this and it's. not it isn't it can't be it's and what. it is will be amazing you're going to be. alive you know and I think I just feel. very. accepting of everything now at the. moment yeah there's something really. beautiful that came out of what you said. this idea of reasons over results like. you know your reasons you don't know. what the result will be but you're sure.

about your reasons and that's something. we can all practice and take on like I. think that's something everyone who's. watching can apply that you never know. the result of your decision you don't. know how it's going to pan out but you. can be sure about your reasons without. question and if you feel clear about. those and to recalibrate perhaps what. success is and that's I think a big. issue in a broader Society what is. success success is not.

this amount of money it's not this. amount of gold statues and trophies you. you know you've got to look at it as a. whole it's really interesting if you if. there there are there are numerous. people who talk about the night that. they won an Academy Award as being the. Loneliest Night of their life and and. and yet for us looking in on that you.

look and go oh my God that's this is. incredible I would give anything why do. you think that is because I think it's. more The Climb is the thing the top of a. mountain I I think can be quite a. isolating experience actually and the. climb to the top of it is and of course. when you get there it's amazing MH cuz. you. go oh my God we did you know what I mean. we did it it's like someone that takes a.

helicopter to the top of eest is not. going to have the same experience as a. person who's climbed it absolutely. you're looking at the same view but it's. going to be it's going to feel very very. different sure I also think it's it's an. incredibly you know the anxiety of it. the the the fear of it I can only am I. don't know I'm not I don't know I can. only imagine and so I think because I. think what you realize is that the doing. of the work and the climb of it is the. thing that is the most satisfying and.

how can there be such a thing as best. yeah ever you can be the fastest runner. over a 100 meters that's that's not up. for debate you say Bol you are the. fastest runner over 100 meters you can't. be the best film that's that's. impossible you know it's more subjective. of course it is and should be yeah where. did where did your drive for Success. come from you just said that you've.

realized now that success is not you. know the bank balance or this or that. these specific things where did your. initial drive for Success come from did. you always define success in a. particular way or was it just what you. think everyone in our generation was. almost chasing I I don't know I I I. think I for me really from I. really don't remember a time that I. didn't want to perform I just don't. remember a time that I didn't want.

to just perform did you perform at. school and at home and I mean everywhere. everywhere I would call it performing. I'm sure some people would call it. showing off my mom would you know. oscillate between the two stop showing. off so you know like I just I just loved. I just loved I. loved performing in in in in any shape. or form school player.

Church playground I just I really really. loved it like I I can remember so. vividly the first time I was ever sort. of on what we'd call a stage so we we. grew up in I was a we were a family that. were in the Salvation Army which is a. church that's also a charity and and uh. like any church you're born into you. think that this is completely.

normal you know when you're any any. church you're B to and then like we you. know we would like put on a uniform and. my we would my dad would you know. occasionally March down the road in a. brass band and we would do Christmas. carolling and I would play the trumpet. and you just thought well this is just. completely normal life and then you get. to about 15 and you're like guys this is. really weird but it was essentially a. church and that's what we'd go to and uh. a church from what I can really work out.

now retrospectively was perhaps full of. the least Christian people I've ever met. in my life you know like many churches. you know at its core good infect it with. people becomes something very very. different and uh and so we're in. highwick in in bakim Shar and and my. sister was three no four my sister Ruth. was four and it was her. christening and we were on the the. platform which was you know to all.

intensive purposes looked and felt like. a stage to me. and the uh Savage army officer the Vicor. the. priest I couldn't see because I was you. know quite morning he said let's get. James a chair and I stood on this chair. and I could just see there was maybe I. don't know 30 people in the congregation. it looked like a thousand and I just. started like pulling these faces and. turned around and looked back through my.

legs and people are chuckling and I was. like well this feels. fantastic and then what I really. remember is sitting back down in the. congregation. and my uh I sat between my mom and dad. and person's back is in front of me and. I remember being like well this is. boring this isn't nearly as much fun as. being up there and I was I was seven at. the time and no I was four and my sister.

was obviously a newborn so I was four. and I remember just thinking well this. is that's that's it now life is a quest. to to be up there as much as possible oh. that's beautiful so I think that's what. I always thought success was like my my. my absolute Ambitions were to be in a. West End musical yeah that was it that. was like that was the peak and literally. it was a roadway from where are now at.

the prince headwood theater and I was 17. and in a musical and I was I I honestly. genuinely was like well that's it for me. I will it cannot be greater than this. that's how that's where my absolute. Ambitions were to be just on a West End. stage that's spectacular I mean you said. there were misses naturally in the. journey that I laid out in the beginning. I wonder what were some of the most. painful or tough misses whether when you. were young or as you got older what were. the ones that you look to and say I'd.

love people to know about this or learn. about this because when you look at it. from the outside it is easy to see hit. hit hit hit hit but these are the couple. that maybe would surprise us well well. there's things that that you do that. just naturally aren't very good that's. the first you know what I mean there's. things that you you do and they're not. they're not very good those things you. you understand why they didn't connect. cuz they're not very good you know and I. oddly I don't feel a sort of sense of.

any disappointment in in that really do. you know what I mean I don't because. because someone asked me once cuz I I. was in that film I was in that film cats. right the musical Cats and uh and you. know I haven't seen it but like by all. accounts not good and didn't do very. well and someone said to me oh God you. regret that I was like no i' do it again. had a great time yeah you have to. separate sometimes your own experience. and the outcome of a project because you.

can do things that do really well but at. that time in your. life it was a disaster do you know what. I mean such a good point and at the same. time at the same time you can do stuff. which isn't good but actually you had a. really great you know what I mean like. you know if I when we were shooting cats. we had an afternoon and I sat in this. weird green suit with dots on your face. yeah with Ian McKellen and Judy.

Dench and I wouldn't swap that for yeah. to literally sit and. talk to seran McKellen and Dame Judy. Dench about I couldn't tell you what we. talked about I couldn't tell you if it. you know and I was like well how lucky. am I yeah this is extraordinary so I. think I did this I did a TV show which. came out I I think about maybe a just. two years ago now maybe 18 months ago.

for which was on Amazon called mammals. which I was really proud of and I really. I really. hoped that people would find that and. and and they didn't that's the only. that's the only thing that I look at and. I think. ah because it got reviewed. well it's written by I think the best. living playright at the moment you know. or certainly Young Living playright. called jez. Butterworth who wrote like Jerusalem and.

the ferryman and Mojo but then also. wrote Skyfall and Spectre and Indiana. Jones and it was me and Sally Hawkins. and Malia Kellan and that's that's the. only that's what I would say that's the. only thing that I go ah I wonder what we. could have done differently to make. people find it but then we don't know. yet yeah you don't know you don't know. when it's going to take off again like I. love hearing about even if it doesn't we.

don't you know who know you know what I. mean like you just you just have to I. love what you just said mate I love that. perspective of the idea that and I can. relate to that I've had moments in my. life where I'm having one of my biggest. external career wins but I didn't have. the right people around me to celebrate. it with and therefore it's not as. gratifying or as celebratory or it's not. as meaningful whereas you could have had. something that externally like no one. cared but you you had the people around. you where you knew what you'd built and.

you know knew what you'd created and I. love that that resonated so strongly. honestly well also say that the the. notion. that I don't know the way I see it is. every single. day your life can. get turned. over and flipped on its head in a phone. call every single day like I I used to. say that to to my wife Julia all the. time when we were in Los Angeles where I.

would go every day we live here and the. phone doesn't ring in the middle of the. night to tell us Something's Happened at. home is an absolute win it's an absolute. win and you just have to be so aware. that those things are coming and those. things are real and all the stuff that. we're talking about over here work and. all those things it's it's not it. isn't it isn't those things that are. just going. to just bang and you're to and then. you're talking about life before and.

after before and after those moments. like I was talking to a friend of mine. the other day you know and I'm I'm. 45 and my friend said to me and it's. quite a dark thought but actually it's. good to he said we've he said he's 45. also and he he said we've we've turned. the corner into snipers alley and I said. what do you mean I didn't know what he. meant and he said you've to you're now. in an alley and suddenly people are.

going to just and you're going to go oh. my God like it's just that it's that. that that shift in life of like oh this. is where like I'm very fortunate both my. parents are still. alive so that's inevitable that's. definite and then you're in this world. of just absolute. unknowns so I think the older I. get I the just the less I sort of think. about work in that way I just don't I. maybe because I've had 6 months of of.

real. reflection six months of not really. doing anything you know I'm do started. this this podcast that I'm really really. enjoying outside of that I'm writing. some stuff some of it I hope people will. see other stuff I'm certain they never. will you know what I. mean I you know and and some I hope they. never will that's a terrible idea you. know and you just don't know and so I. just think less about work and I want to.

think more about my health and all those. all those things you know yeah walk me. through what like like you've had all. these transitions in your life walk me. through what your reflection process. looks like in your head like just for. you personally like it doesn't have to. be systematic or perfect just what is it. what what do you go through is it. looking at going well am I helping my. family am I taking care of them is that. the number one thing or are they other. things that go through your head because. I feel like you've had to make some big.

transitions well that's that is that's. that's the number one thing you're only. as happy as your least happy child is a. wonderful saying which is without. question true there is there is nothing. that can happen in your professional. life that will. matter if one of your. children is. unhealthy un unwell. either mentally or physically this is.

irrelevant so so that's let's park that. as a as a given yes um very clear in. terms of my reflection I I I mainly I. just think what like I'm so aware of. time and the and the and the passage of. time and that this is this is it and you. have to go okay well now how do you. really really want to use use your. time cuz I think when I was hosting the.

show I think I probably knew this at the. time but I recognize it more now that I. think I said yes a lot perhaps to too. much because. I I just loved I knew I wasn't going to. host that show forever I didn't want it. to be the end of the book I didn't want. it to be the last thing I did so I.

didn't want it to be a shock when I. finished the show and said I'm going to. go back to act again now because I was. very aware that there was a lot of. people watching that show who had no. idea that I'd ever acted before that so. I really just said ABS yes I'll do it. I'll be there I'll do it and I think I. understand my reasons for it but now I. think mainly the thing I'm really. thinking is. what forget what you can do forget. what's possible forget foret what's in. front of you forget what's offered to.

you or not offered to you what do you. actually want to do what is worthy of. your. time what is. worth not taking your kids to school in. the morning or picking them up at 4:00. what are the because that's really the. question you're asking yourself you know. and like I don't have like so much money. that I don't have to ever work again I. really really don't whatever you might. read on the Internet is I cannot stress. you untrue and so you know it's it's.

it's that thing of just going well what. what do you what do you want to do is. there anything that you want to say and. if there isn't then. don't and then and it will come it will. it will it will it will come and you. know it's interesting this since moving. back to London and I I feel in a. different cultural space I'm I'm trying. my absolute best to hit 10,000 steps a. day that's I'm really really really. trying to do that and so sometimes I'll.

just go. and once the kids are asleep I'll go and. I'll be I'll look and I'm look at 8,000. steps and I'm like babe just going to go. and I'll literally walk up and down the. road and to come back in and in that. time of walking I'm starting to feel the. notion of like oh it's maybe that's is. that an interesting idea but don't leap. on it yes don't go that's it let's go. let's book a flight let's pitch it is to.

go I well let's let it let's see if it. almost just to treat it like a plant. really and go we're going to water it. for a minute see if there's something. there and and and already now I'm like. well thank God I didn't go and tell. someone about. that have you ever read that thing about. doing the thing yes yes yes I mean. that's my I just I just look at that. almost every day doing the thing. just do the thing don't talk about doing.

the thing yeah don't tweet about doing. the thing don't just do the thing the. doing the thing is the thing and that's. all I'm really trying to do yeah it's. it's fascinating because I find like you. know you've been performing as you said. you love performing when you were a kid. you've been performing for decades now. and it's almost like an identity shift. when you stop yourself from performing. in an in a I'm talking about performing. in a play or in a mov movie or on stage. like you're not allowing yourself to do.

something that feels so pure and true. and I can see in your eyes when you were. talking about it like brings you to life. yeah and and almost removing yourself. away from that requires you. to rethink your identity a little like. like who who are you today or how are. you feeling about who you are when. you're not performing when you've been. so used to entertaining crowds for so. long but that's ego I think that's ego. that's what we you're talking about is. ego I lived for eight and a half years.

what could only be described as a. narcissist stream do you know what I. mean like and that like and I I I cannot. stress how much I think being the host. of a late night TV show is one of the. greatest jobs in the world I think it's. amazing I think it is brilliant like my. God how lucky am I to have done that I. think it's. amazing you know but if you were another.

way inclined you you know drive into a. studio lot you drive past a massive. picture of your. face that's that's the first thing you. see when you get to work is a huge. picture of your face and your name you. then Park in an amazing parking spot. with your name on it you go in. like I tell you the thing I miss most.

about the show was my like I missed. seeing there's a great lady called T who. was on the front desk at CBS and I would. just I my interaction with her every day. I I just grew to love it so much morning. T morning James how's it going all good. and as I walk through the door she'd say. have a good one and I'd go have a good. one and it would be a race to who could. say it first you get in a lift you come. out the lift to be greeted by another. picture of your face do you know mean. it's like another picture of your face. and your name you turn a corner and then.

you start walking up a corridor and. there is just your name and faces. everywhere right yeah yeah pictures of. you with everywhere then you get to say. well what are we going to do tonight. back up then you get to like shoot a. sketch with Matt Damon or drive around. in a car with Stevie. Wonder then you'll come back into work. get dressed you work also in a gang of. people who are the funniest people. you've ever met in your life life ever. and they only want to try and make you.

seem funnier and that's amazing and you. chat with them and you're hanging out. with them and then good day bad day and. different day your day will end with a. standing. ovation right that's amazing step out of. a curtain and 400 people will go nuts. and you've got to remember and the thing. that I would just remember all the time. is the other side of this. camera is a sign that says Applause M do. you know what I mean there is people.

going it go you know what I mean and you. the walk down from the from like office. Green Room to the studio is an amazing. change in your psyche CU you're with all. your B that that and very slow down I. remember the first show CU really you're. in a gang you're in a team where you. make a late night show it's just a gang. you you're all making it together and. then at some point people tap you on the. shoulder and go. have a good one and then you are.

surrounded by people you walk in. microphone makeup touch you enter a door. and you hear you know the other side of. this thing you hear 400 people screaming. you hear a guy go okay that's everybody. on your feet let's go this is how we do. it that another look at the CH all right. every here we go let's get. ready okay and we're going to five four. three and you find yourself stood behind. a curtain. M completely on your.

own and suddenly this team effort you're. just you are on your own and the. spotlight is behind you so this this. circle is on the curtain and a shadow of. you and. uh I used to stand there I'd open my. hands take a breath I would look and I. would say to I always have this feeling. that my granddad is getting a real kick. out of all this I so he is not with me.

in any spiritual sense he's just in for. the love right of. it you know like I know that he just you. know he's a jazz musician he would be. like this is fun J you know and uh and I. would open my eyes and I would look up. and I'd say be with me just be with me. and be here. now and for the next hour your only job. is to enjoy yourself as much as you can. it doesn't matter what's happened all. day it doesn't matter what happens on.

tomorrow's show your only job is to. enjoy this right now and I and I did and. I you know we did. 1,198 shows I think and I I just loved. it I loved it so it's a lot to leave. behind it's a lot to walk away. from but I also think. this period of. silence is so good for me I'm getting as.

I'm getting as much or more from this. period now yeah like I you know it's so. odd that I used to do that every day. that then even speaking to you now I'm. like God I haven't spoken to. anybody in this sense yes yes yes. since April mhm I haven't done anything. yeah and it so it feels odd you're like. oh man this is and the podcast I'm doing. I'm loving because I'm in your chair.

yeah and I'm but even now this feels. unnatural and there is a feeling of like. I don't know what I've got to say but. then you go but I'm I'm going to get to. meet Jay so that'll be lovely you know. yeah so what is life without. it it's it's it's great it's great I. think because I really really always. knew that this wasn't going to be. forever I always knew I wanted to.

leave. before. it ebbed away I just knew that I wanted. to to to to do it and then stop doing it. and see if there's something else and if. there. isn't okay. great who could wish for more do you. know what I mean I guess that's the. thing I I I look now and I think I don't. want. any.

more stuff or or fame or all those. things like what I'd really love to do. is go I wonder if I've got one more. thing to write I wonder if there's one. more thing to say. like I wonder if there's just something. else I don't know yet what a brilliant. way to live I mean when you just said. that the idea of I knew that it wasn't. going to last forever and I didn't want. it to. that's so the opposite of how we're.

conditioned to think most of us are. conditioned to believe when you find. something good hold on to it forever. make sure it lasts forever because you. never know and I love your perspective. because I think not only is it healthier. for the mind and the ego it's actually. the reality of life that everything is. ephemeral and transient and it will move. anyway and so you wanting to hold on to. something that isn't yours to control is. almost a game anyway well then you're a. kid with a balloon yeah right and you go.

and hold I'm never I'm never ever going. to let this balloon go right and. ignoring for this for a second the. environmental impact of letting a. balloon go let's talk about it just. metaphorically you know that you go I'm. this is my balloon I'm hold this but I'm. never ever ever ever ever going to let. go of this balloon in fact I'm going to. go I'm going to tie it to my wrist so it. can't disappear cuz that happened to me. once before and it you know what I mean. I'm going to just you know that's it and.

then slowly that balloon will just Wilt. and it will run out of the thing that. made it great and it will just then be. then it's tied to your wrist and you're. dragging it behind you right and. actually there's something quite. beautiful and again environmentally I'm. not encouraging this we didn't we didn't. know about this when we were kids when. you let go of a balloon it's magical. magical. look and then you see it and you're like.

oh my God I used to have that I used to. hold on to that and look at it now look. it's just flowing that's amazing and. then you go well now I haven't got a. balloon and then you go well maybe I'll. get another one yeah maybe there'll be. another balloon and maybe it'll be a. different shape or it'll be shinier or. whatever it is like you've got to be. able to let go of stuff. to make new.

things come in you've got to have the. space and the time yeah to encounter. something new a friend of mine a year. ago maybe. less had his heartbroken in in in the. most brutal. circumstances it was his first love. first. girlfriend and they broke up and he was. just not in a good.

way and he this was his first real. proper serious girlfriend certainly the. first time he'd been in love. before I just found myself saying to him. I was. like this is. great this is great because you. really only understand what love is once. your heart's been broken you understand. how tender it is and I was like and you.

understand it now and what's you're. looking at this all wrong you you get to. do it again you get to do this again. you're going to meet someone else and. feel all these feelings and. perhaps you'll go into that relationship. learning what you've learned from this. relationship and that will then feed. that relationship in a different way and. like and he he's just met someone right. yeah and he's like oh my God this is.

amazing and I'm like yeah got that. balloon again yeah yeah that's it that's. it and so again I think it's. expectation is the thing that that that. makes us hold on to stuff yeah if you. can just EB and flow with stuff you're. going to find it so much easier to take. The Good The Bad and The everything in. between is just all being good for you I. think James you're a philosopher. who knew we're going to have to add it.

to the list we're going to have to add. it to the list of uh list of the titles. no genu I mean that visual you just. painted of the balloon that's going to. stay with me for a long time I've. probably never heard it I didn't don't I. don't I don't know that it's a thing I. think we just might have made it up you. you made it up but it is so Banky made. it up we've taken banksy's. image no that's s it's such a beautiful. way of sharing that lesson there's you.

know a Zen saying that. says what's holding you back is what. you're holding on. to yeah and and that's you know but that. visual that you just painted is so. powerful and even the visual that you. painted of saying that you come out to. all this rapturous Applause and you know. the HOA and the idea of you coming out. into the stage but you're all thinking. about the fact that the screen says. Applause on the other side because I. think if you don't it's really dangerous.

I think it's really dangerous were you. conscious of that and have you been. conscious of that the whole time in your. career because right not the whole time. when when did when did that become like. a real because that's Marcus aelius. meditations at its best Marcus aelius. famously had a I don't know this so. Marcus aelius when he would walk around. the Roman Town Square he had an. assistant that would follow him around. and the role of the assistant was that. whenever anyone in the Town Square would. say Marcus aelius you are such an.

amazing Emperor you were phenomenal. you're incredible the assistant's only. job was to whisper in his ear you're. just a man you're just a man wow and. that sort of practice and so when you. said that that's what I that's the first. thing I thought of when I didn't know. that you said the Applause I was like. wow you you know you're living that I. think I've probably fallen into the. pitfall of thinking I was more of a dude. than I really was quite earlyish in my. career I think I guess in a way I think. I'm I think I don't know I think I'm.

sort of. entering phase three right yeah if if. phase one. was History Boys writing Gavin and. Stacy phase two was moving was one was. going to Broadway to do one Manu. Governor's everything that came with. that and then ending up hosting a late. night TV show and phase three will be. whatever this is and I don't know um I I.

I mean look I've fallen into all those. pitfalls of thinking that you're more of. a dude than you really are thinking any. of this is it's like Fame and success. whatever you know level of that I'm kind. of have in in a way like is on the whole. a a picnic right it's great it's great. it's it's it's lovely people come up. they talk about things and all you or to. things that they that they've liked or. or enjoyed and certainly being back here.

in London you know it's amazing hearing. people talk about like Gavin and Stacy. and stuff which obviously I would never. hear in America it's and I'm so proud of. that show and I think I I've started to. thing of like don't confuse the selfie. right I don't think the I think for me I. think it's different if you're. like Brad Pit Harry Styles do you know. what I mean Adele like I think that's a. different that's that's a whole that's. an aura and an orb of of of Fame which I.

think is not what I'm talking about now. whereas I think on the whole when people. are asking for a selfie with me it isn't. really anything to do with me I think. it's just people go well this is going. to be good on my story right I do no I. do no I I I'm not that is not any F I. genuinely believe that I think people. are going well he's. there he's only over there this is going. to this is going to be great yeah in.

amongst the other four photos of my day. right and so and I love taking photos. with people I don't say no some I used. to say no when I was with my kids more. but but now they have a bit a bit a bit. better understanding of it and I don't. need to hold their hands all the time so. that was my my wife was like you cannot. give your attention to someone else when. they're that like so Charlotte Road. whatever so Charlotte so if I'm out with. like you know my my two oldest it's. always a lot easier now and and it's.

people are people are really great and. cool and lovely but I don't ever ever in. my ever in my life go H look at all. these. people they just want a photo what can I. say I just go no no no this is they. didn't find me they haven't been waiting. for me I just happened to be in the same. Joe and the juices them you know what I. mean and it's like might as well you. know I love that that's amazing but no I. I do love how how how conscious you were.

of that and and it's uh it's it's it's. so it's so fun. because that mindset that approach to. success that approach to fame makes. everything just feel wonderful and. beautiful and it makes everything so you. know in the sense of when I don't I. don't mean Perfection I mean in the. sense of it gives you a sense of joy in. an interaction removing the expectation. and the weight that can come with it. yeah I also just think you have to just. take it all with a bag of salt yeah all.

of it everything yeah everything good. bad yeah you know it if you just can. take it with the same bag of salt yeah. and and and distance yourself from it. mhm you can just sort of go well that's. over there yeah yeah that's happening. over there and but but I'm but what's. really H I'm here yeah and here are my. friends and my all those things and just.

and also just being so aware of like. yeah yeah how lucky you are yeah how. lucky you are and and if you lose sense. of that and and and I understand when. people do by the way and I have you. know other points in in my career and in. my life and I don't I'm not walking. around like this every day like I have. all those same things right so this this. it's not like I'm I'm sort of floating. around like a kind I'm really really not.

and a lot of this really is predicated. on just how much sleep I get. yeah that's true for all of us like that. is it you know what I've been on this. supplementary I was talking to my so I'm. I'm very into you know biohacking and. health and all the rest of it and so I. was I've been testing this supplement. I've been having for the last 30 days. and it's it's like boosted my. mitochondria so much that I can't get to. sleep I have so much energy and I was. telling I was telling my doctor I was.

like mate I really want to sleep like I. enjoy sleep I'm someone I'm not someone. who sacrifice to sleep I enjoy sleep. sleep is and I haven't been able I. haven't really been able to sleep. because of this one supplement you think. that's anything to do with like also jet. lag and the time difference I think. there's a bit of that but I've been here. for like 30 days now so I'm like it. should have gone after a week or two but. I agree with you coming from LA to. London is the harshest jet lag right. because I go from sleep never really get. used to it oh it's really rough and so. it could be that but I feel like yeah.

sleep is we're so rarely I I think there. I'm saying rarely talk about we probably. talk about it more now than we ever have. in the last 40 years but like sleep is. this extraordinary gift and I think I'm. probably more aware of it now because. I've got a 12-year-old who it is who. seems to think that sleep is some sort. of punishment do you know what I mean. like he usew sleep as like why would you.

do this to me and like dude I don't want. to be awake right now you know and and. uh it's something like in. um in Alan de botton's new book yes. please uh which I just I bought for you. as as a gift I think it's called a. therapeutic Journey a therapeutic. Journey which I I bought for you as I. don't know if you want to plug other. people's books I no please no I it's not. as good as how to live like a man Alan. and the school of life I'm a big fan gen. fantastic very big fan and he's got a.

section in that book where he talks. about sleep and he says when you've got. a newborn baby when you've got a newborn. baby you are very your your only. intention is to put this child into a. routine and make sure that they sleep at. the right time for the right amount of. time so therefore you feed it the right. food to make sure it's the you know to. the right we have to because if you. don't get the right sleep they are going. to be awful for. tomorrow and then at some.

point we just decide well I don't need. to do that that's only for a baby yeah I. can sit with my phone at. midnight just looking a stream of 30. second videos to then car to to not. sleep and and imagine that I'm going to. be okay tomorrow and I I I I find that. that sleep is just like this gift tell. me about it and the better sleep I have.

that without question in every facet of. my in every facet of my life I'm I'm. better yeah like I'm really thinking. about you don't drink right no no no I. haven't how when how long have you not. drunk uh I would. say how old am I like maybe 18 years or. something right but did you ever were. you did right okay Al I was never. alcoholic but I drank socially enjoyed. it had fun love drinking games like used.

to hang out with the lads and like yeah. go about where I am so I I I really. really yeah I I don't I very rarely. drink at home I never really get in and. go I'm going to have a glass of wine or. a gin and tonic but if I go out yes and. if I'm out I'm like I love the feeling. of. being three and a half drinks in between. 3 and six I am Raj's face he knows what. I'm talking. about I am I feel it in my knees and I.

love it right yeah and now as I've got. older I'm. just really am. really I'm going to really try to just. stop doing that like with no great. declaration I you know you know I am I. just I'm really really going to try not. to do that because my friend a a good. friend of mine my friend. I spoke to him about it and I was like. how did you just manage to just did you.

just stop doing this and he said. something to me and I think you'll. really like this he said I he said I. started asking myself and I do think. this changes post probably like. 3738 it starts to change in your body. and he said I started to ask myself. how how. much of Tomorrow do I want to borrow. all I'm doing now by drinking is.

borrowing from Tomorrow wow right it's. like a it's it's like you're going to a. cash point yeah you're going to a cash. point and you're going I'm going to. withdraw three hours from tomorrow that. I will be useless and then probably if I. just borrow 3 hours around about noon or. 1 I'll start to feel okay yeah so I'm. borrowing from Tomorrow wow and that and. how many hours do you want to borrow and. sometimes you borrow a day yeah and then.

the only way you think you can rescue. that day is to go let's have another one. you know yeah and uh I thought that was. a really amazing way of looking at it. and so my my intention is is to really. try and and not do that I just want to. try try and just be healthier I don't. even sort of think. about weight loss anymore I've done that. so many times in my life. life just made so many like decisions of.

just right this is it I'm not to go why. don't you change that CU that isn't. working why don't you just only try and. do what is healthy and see how that. impacts your yes frame yes you know yeah. yeah yeah no I I I like that approach I. mean you know I think it's natural when. when we're recording this it's like New. Year's resolutions and start of the year. and all that kind of stuff and I think. all of us know that about 80% % of us. drop off by the end of January by. February we're not practicing this New.

Year's resolution this massive. commitment we made and it's almost. because we go from this huge extreme. from being indulgent in December to. trying to be hyper intentional in. January yeah and trying to go from one. extreme to the other and none of us can. hack that it doesn't work well a friend. of mine said a really good thing to me. my friend Simon said to me he said you. need to stop going on a diet cuz my. weight has has gone up and. down you know I can I can see it in. in too many videos on YouTube like where.

I was up where I was down I used to have. like three sets of Suits Lauren Shapiro. who was our wardrobe uh designer on the. show who I am now saying as I said it. out loud would have hated hearing her. name on on your podcast H and I my time. with her I used to just love so much. because like I said so much of the day. would be a lot of people and then it. would just be me and her choosing suits. and choosing what I'm going to wear and. we chat about the day and you know we've.

had moments where we cracking up. laughing we have other days where one of. us is really down and it would just be. this little precious moment in this very. small walk-in closet that was off my uh. off my office where all the suits were. and my time with the those are the. things I really miss yeah that's the. stuff I really really miss and she very. very subtly and we never talked about it. we never ever talked about it but I knew. what she did and I was grateful was she.

basically started organizing my suits. into. like really fat fat and always looking. good you could see and she would just. you always look good she know but she. would just very very in the in just and. I would go and then it just became a. thing where I'd be like uh I think we're. you know particularly if we came off a. Hiatus or a go away and just okay I. think we're going to be and she'd be. like mhm and we'd never really speak. about.

it but my friend my friend said my. friend Simon said you need to stop going. on a diet I said what do you mean he. said You' got to stop you've got to stop. going on a diet he said because going on. a diet is like going on a holiday you. are going to return you're going to come. back wow that's he said if you go on a. diet what you're saying is this is short. term he said you need need to just go. This is How I Live Now that's good and.

this is it that's not going I don't eat. any bread you no no in moderation it's. probably good for you to eat certain. types of bread but that's it and you're. going to don't just stop this thing of. being like Oh guys I'm not I'm on a diet. and he was like and stop broadcasting it. stop saying it just stop saying it just. go this is what I'm going to do I'm. going to try and exercise like this I'm. going to try and walk like I'm trying to.

do and just be like no no I'm going to. I'm going to eat this and don't don't be. like well I want to be down 20 in 35. days like cuz you've done that yeah yeah. and you know how that plays out don't go. on something that's change something. good that's good I like that yeah on a. diet on a holiday that's good that's. strong you've got some wise Friends. James I do there's a lot of good there's. a lot of great advice are these are. these friends for like life for these. friends recently like some my friends. Simon I've known probably yeah probably.

about nine nine years and then I have. yeah I have like friends I've known for. 35 years you know what I mean like. what's it taking to keep those because I. find like I've been talking to a lot of. my male friends about this recently and. this idea of you know do we have do you. have a friend that you could call in the. middle of the night and you know they. would pick up they would turn up they. would be there because if you have one. of those friends that's pretty rare and. pretty incredible especially as men I. find sometimes it's it's almost harder. to have those vulnerable relationships.

but you seem to be having a lot of open. vulnerable healthy conversations. with but I think it's easier now I think. it's easier now than it used to be I. think I hope we're going to move into uh. a a generation of of of men and I think. you and your show is responsible for. that I think lots of I think just the. the ability to to just be. like I'm struggling m is a thing which I. think for a very long time men were. conditioned to that that was weak and.

actually it's almost certainly the. bravest thing you can do it is it is a. tremendous Act of Bravery to. say I'm not doing too great at the. minute and as soon as those words leave. your. mouth I reckon 20% of those things have. gone and and I'm very I'm very very. fortunate I just have a lot of I love a.

lot of friends that I've known for a. very long time and I and I love them and. I tell them I love them and I. I and I. enjoy the company of people so much you. know I I just you know it's interesting. you talk about who would call like my. friend Louie that I was just telling you. about who we wrote that script together. Louie had a previous life where he used.

to he would go. out sometimes for three days I don't. think he'd mind you me saying this he'd. go out for days on end and I always. always I when I said to to Jules when we. met I said just so you know I've got. this friend Louie and he goes out for a. long time like you know what London was. like in those times in these very. streets and I said if he calls me I. always I have to pick up I always pick. up because I always used to think he.

might be in trouble this resulted in. some of the funniest things I've ever. heard right him calling me at two 3 4 5. in the. morning resulted in some of the funniest. things I've ever heard and so that's why. I'd say to anybody who doesn't pick up. the phone to a friend in the night it. might not always be bad it might be he. called me once I think it's okay to tell. you this he called me once and I like.

for half 3 in the. morning said hey man are you okay and he. went I'm and he's drunk and he went I'm. going to tell you something now and it's. a. fact I went what he went it's a fact I. went sorry he went what I'm about to. tell you is a fact it is a fact of life. and I would like to to share it with you. I okay this quarter four in the morning.

he's like it is a fact James that I have. never and will never see the Jersey. Boys goodbye and hung up. the you know he's okay know and so I. love yeah I I don't know I I think. friendship is I think it's I think it's. sort of everything isn't it yeah like. it's it's I cherish it so mhm much mhm I. also think you know with kids it's.

really important for them to see. you with friends yes to not separate. those things to to to. be to. involve your friends with your children. and your children with your friends. because I'm really aware that like my. son's 12 and and like. he's right. now like we just get on great we get on.

so well yeah so we get on so well it's I. love it's beautiful and I'm so aware. that that is about to. change because that is just nature you. know I I I took about a year ago before. we. moved before we moved. back I took my. son I can't even remember what happened.

but he was kind of stroppy and he you. know stomped upstairs he's really not. that kind of boy but he he. did and I I went upstairs and I sat in. his. room and I just went to him uh I said. can I ask you some. questions and he was quite taken it back. cuz cuz he thought I was going to go. what was that about and I can I ask you. some questions and he went.

yeah I said do you think I love you and. he went yeah I said do you think I would. ever do anything to intentionally hurt. or upset you he said no I said and do. you think in the 11 years that you've. been on Earth do you think I've changed. dramatically he went no I went well done. you scored 100% they are all the right. answers I said' and I'm telling you. this because over the.

next few. years there are going to be points you. are going to think I don't love you you. are going to think I am. intentionally trying to hurt or upset. you and you're going to think that I've. changed and I need you to remember this. that I haven't changed we haven't. changed you've changed and you need to. and and you have to and you are going to. go through immeasurable changes in your.

life and. body and all we are trying to do me your. mom your sisters and it's going to. happen to them too are just trying to. help you. navigate these bumps that are going to. come your way and these changes both. mental and physical that are happening. for you but I need you to know that I. haven't changed I'm never trying to. intentionally hurt or upset you and I. love you I love you more than you'll.

ever. know and he. went I think we should have some sort of. code word so I remember this and so we. came up with we came up with some silly. code word that I would just say to him. like do you remember and he' be like and. he' be like oh yeah you haven't Chang I. was like my hair hasn't changed dude I. got the same hairstyle that I had when I. was 18 years old. you. know CHS that was yeah and I I really.

feel that with friendship that that they. I'm so painfully painfully aware yeah. that there's going to come a point where. the influences that aren't me are going. to become bigger on my children for a. moment and so if I can make sure that. those other people that they look to. are people who are aligned with how I. feel then it's going to be great you. know and sometimes they're going to take. advice from Dad's friend more than they. are from Dad they are going to seek it.

yeah they're going to absolutely seek. those other Role Models yes particularly. boys I think that's right is that right. I think right yeah I like yeah I don't. know if it's completely right but I do. think there is a perhaps more of a a. thing between boys and dads and you know. it's it's such a strange thing the the. it's so you know yeah I I remember so. you you would have know this cuz we. didn't know each other then but became. friendly with um James Longman on your. team years ago yes and so longas had. invited me to come and watch the show.

this is when I first moved to LA when I. first moved this this was like five. years ago God yeah and I got to come and. he was he was he's wonderful obviously. the greatest so he showed me around I. got to see all the rooms and like you. know the green rooms and every like he. was he just gave me the best Tour Ever. he great uh took me to the photo wall I. got to put up a fake photo of myself on. the wall as if i' been on the show like. you know all all of it it was really. sweet and we we didn't know each other. at all then of course and um and I. didn't know anyone else apart from him. and I was just really excited to be. there cuz I was such a fan of the show.

and I remember you were you were so. wonderful even in between the show where. you in between segments like it's not. live and you would come and chat to the. audience you'd Shake people's hands and. then I remember you'd go and call your. kids and you'd literally sit at the desk. before in between and just like get them. because and you'd tell us you'd be like. guys I'm just going to call my family. because I'm going to say good night to. my kids and it was such a like it was so. amazing to see someone who's in the. middle of everything you described so. phenomenally earlier but then be like I. just want to say good night to my kids. because it's that late right however. late it was at that time I think kids.

were going back to bed at 7 or 7 7. whatever it may have been and I remember. you FaceTiming them and then we got to. wave it wave and and and I just remember. how special that was and I I just think. you know I've heard you say before that. you know for so many years your your. family was marching to the beat of your. drum like they were they were there for. you they were just holding it together. for you so that you could build and. create and I just think about moments. like that that you were having with them. me I'm so worried that the show you came. to was. terrible it's all I can think Mark.

Ruffalo it was great he was great he was. great but like that's that's really what. what really resulted in us moving back. is the truth is. is you. know like my my wife just walks to the. Beat of My Drum my family you know we're. going to New York we're going to La I'm. going here I'm going there babe I'm. going to do this thing in Australia you.

you're you're good here with the kids. you know what I mean like honestly I. genuinely feel and I get the feeling. that you might be like this I feel like. I could live anywhere yeah live anywhere. I could live anywhere because we're very. fortunate that that you're here now in. London you're going to go back you're. going to go to India you're going to go. to New York you're going to go to La. like what a privilege I'm so aware that. that hasn't been my wife's life mhm for. the last 12 years MH 13 14 years you.

know and so really our our our decision. to move back was like I I was going to. stop the. show regardless you know there was there. was a moment where I was going to stop. it a bit earlier and. then it was done so beautifully my. leaving of the show like me and my. boss George just sat in my office and. literally talked it out like this no. agents no lawyers no nothing like I said.

I'd like to leave at this date he. said is there any way I can get you to. stay to this day I like I can't stay to. that day cuz we've got to resettle the. kids have got like they have to start. school in September you know and and. then at one point it was going to be May. and then there was like I think there's. Golf and Masters and all these and we. literally just were like okay we'll end. it then and that'll give us the the. right Gap and and all of that came from. me just saying to Jules like I I'll live.

anywhere where where like where do you. want to be where do you think it's best. for us to be cuz I know she would never. make a decision that isn't best for the. kids forget. me and uh and she was just like I think. it's time to go home yeah I was like. okay that's it and and I'm. so I'm. so grateful that we that we did just in.

my family before Christmas we had a my. mom sings in a choir it's not a church. choir it's just a a choir with some of. her friends and we all went out to. highwick to watch her sing in this. choir. I sat in this room in in a. John. hamon Sports Hall or their you know.

theater just a school hall that we were. in I cried my eyes out I cried I. couldn't stop crying because I'm my. mom was in this choir with like 40 other. people singing Christmas songs and it. was so pure it was so pure it was so the. antithesis of what our life have been in.

Los. Angeles and I my mom was in the corner. of this you know like and I just she. couldn't stop smiling and I just thought. oh my God this Purity that's here these. are a group of women in and men in their. I guess they range between 30 to 60. people and I just was like this is. everything I would I don't want to be. anywhere else this is I only want to be. here and it was so weird it's so weird. the effect it has on me even now saying.

I can't understand it I can't tell you. why I think it just felt in that minute. like oh this is the sacri this is why we. made what you would perceive to be a. great sacrifice yes this is the. reason something here that I would never. see I would never come back for I would. never be part of and then my dad joined. them few numbers playing the saxophone. and uh and I just I just was like oh my.

God this is worth everything this is. this is this is everything I need to. feed me and my kids watching their. Grandma sing this song I was like how. lucky are we to appreciate and have this. experience yeah to have come back and. everyone be healthy you know yeah for. sure I what do it take in that in the. marriage for that communication for that. even the fact that you know you're both.

asking each other questions you're both. checking in with each other like that's. not easy it's challenging yet like what. is that what has that Taken like from. both of you to to really be able to make. those big decisions together it's. taken. me learning from my wife that's it. that's it like she I think has always. known and always figured out how to.

communicate how to do this and I think. I've been terrible at it I think I've. been rubbish at it because I think I. lived for a very long time an existence. of just I nothing will move me from this. train I'm on this is it oh you're. hopping on great but this is this is. it's this is the thing and actually you. then realize that that that that isn't. the case I mean we don't argue very much. we really really.

try to talk in the. day right to to not make it the last. thing we. do even if you are going to bed with. like with you and and it's more her than. me she's like well I'm going to I can. talk to you about that tomorrow you know. what I mean but it's so much better than. than going to bed going to. sleep just don't go to sleep on an.

argument yeah that's the first thing and. I think I learned. quite probably halfway through our. marriage. that that. actually if all you're doing and this is. this is an almost impossible thing to do. but if you but if you're at least trying. to you're pretty much there is if you're. going well if if all you're trying to do. is meet your partner's needs then all.

yours in turn will be met they just will. like how many times do we hear it's. funny we had a friend of ours or a. friend of my wife's they're friends of. ours but you know if we ever broke up. she'd get. her you know man now you've got me. thinking about all our friends oh divide. it up it's quite a fun game I think I. think my wife's going to take it's quite. a fun game but uh it and uh and she was. saying this a few years ago now she was. like he just never does anything for me. he never he never surprises me and takes.

me out for dinner he never says oh like. oh I'm you know buy a theater ticket he. never says oh Friday night me and you. let's do this and I just went well when. do you do it how often do you do that. she went well I don't and I was like. right but you have to see that that. might be a yeah that that might be a I. like for we know he's sat somewhere now. going she never takes me out she never. CU lets go to the cinema and she was.

like oh and I and and and that's it in. its most base level I think that's. probably the the thing I've learned the. most yeah I love hearing about your. relationships and the way you talk about. your relationships obviously this whole. shift in your life is because of your. relationships and so it's it's so. wonderful to hear about it and you were. you were giving me credit earlier for. you know hopefully changing. conversations around masculine inity but. I think you did that very much so as. well with uh your Bromance comic relief.

videos with David Beckham and I'd always. appreciate those when they came out and. I know you guys have a real Bromance but. but seeing it on screen was always a. real treat uh whether you doing the. Calvin Klein ads together or whether you. know or doing each other's nails or. whatever it was it was it was it was so. funny uh and you went to the premere. recently of his documentary which I. thought was just yeah it's brilliant. phenomenal I I read Beck's biog when. autobiography when I was like 15 or. something and it was lifechanging I. loved it and getting to what's the doc.

was almostly reliving it again ah I mean. what a story what a story right just. just the whole thing when I watched it. it really really reminded me have you. ever watched Aaron. sains commencement speech at Syracuse. University I have not no not actually me. saying you know when I get my driver's. license my life will be like this he. actually says that in that speech he he. he talks about that and and I think and. that was the first time I realized that.

like oh that's what I have always done. his commencement speech at Syracuse. University is brilliant okay as you can. imagine it's just so brilliantly written. and he delivers it it's exceptional it's. my favorite thing to watch on on YouTube. is people's commen addresses and his is. particularly good and I would urge. anybody to to go and to go and look at. it I I use it I quote it I it's fed into. me you know and he says a brilliant line.

and it it really. came to the Forefront of my mind. watching the Beckham documentary where. he says the world doesn't care how many. times you get knocked down so long as. it's one less than the amount of times. you get back up again and that's what I. think the Beckham dock is yeah it is a. story of a man who just doesn't stop he. just gets back up and he carries on and. that's what it's about you could you you.

could say it's about the first. Sportsman to become a global brand and. icon you could talk about it's the first. family to. have become perhaps in Britain outside. of the royal family a family of intrigue. and interest you could say it's a story. about Fame and Sport it's not I think. it's a story of someone who just kept.

going through adversity through. challenges just got up and carried on. and that's why I think it's resonated so. much with people because it's. interesting I don't know if you found. this but like it's interesting being. British and watching it yes yes so then. because because people in America are. like I had no idea no idea oh my God. those football those soccer fans the way. way they were with him and you're like. yeah no I know I remember the Effigy.

yeah all it you know and then and then. Greece and the like that's where sport. though can transcend everything it's. like it's it's why I think Sport and. music I think sport stars and musicians. are I think their Fame is so different. to actors and performers and hosts and. writers I think their Fame is something. different because they give you moments. they give you moments in like and I and.

really what I put those moments down to. is they made you feel less alone that's. actually what it is it's why our. relationship with singers and art and. recording artists is so personal because. I was in this play called The History. Boys and it's written by Alan Bennett. and there was a a spe. that Richard Griffith used to deliver. every night and he'd say the best.

moments in poetry are when you think a. thought or a feeling is particular to. you and then suddenly someone who is. long dead you may will never meet no he. say someone who you will never meet. perhaps even long dead has written down. the very thing you're feeling and it's. like a hand has reached out and taken. yours and it says to you you you're not. you're not on your own you're not on. your own that's a great bit in a John. lenon documentary where there's a guy.

saying to John Lennon my that song you. wrote but it's you know that that was. about me it's about me that's how I am. and then John Lennon's going they're. just songs they're just songs it isn't. that and he's going no but it is you. wrote that about me because you can't. know how I felt and so I think you you. don't suddenly you feel very alone you. hear something and you realize you're. not and then I think sport when David. Beckham curled that free kick in the top.

Corner which when we qualified for the. World Cup it did not matter Tory. Conservative Republican Democrat left. right all the stuff the divisions. everything suddenly yeah and you're. hugging people you don't know you've. never met and you're you're brought. together and you're not alone anymore. and that's where I think Sport and music. is such a powerful thing in our lives. which you don't feel when you watch a.

film you can watch a film or a TV show. and go oh yeah that was amazing even if. it moved you hugely that connection. isn't the same I don't think that's why. you gave him an ugly statue of. himself for all of that man that oh my. god I've watched that a million times. that that day man that was so much fun. that was just I you you know cuz pranks. they're the worst thing to film they're. awful because they could just go wrong. at any point they could go wrong one.

notice of a camera and hundreds of. thousands of dollars gone yeah and my. God that day just worked out in the best. way it was oh it's so good if anyone's. not seen it it's so good like if if you. watch the doc and you love David Beckham. and you love what James does you have to. go and see it it's just you made the. ugliest statue idea one of the best. looking men well I had the idea because. do you remember the real Ronaldo one do.

you remember that yeah so then it was. like I remember going into going into. Ben's office and going because I think. if if they hadn't done that with Ronaldo. in real life I don't think David would. have believed it right right yeah but it. was because it happened in real life. with Cristiano Ronaldo that we were like. oh hang on we could do this I never. thought it would work as well as it did. yeah credit I have to say to the to the. actors in that sketch I mean just just.

brilliant Pitch Perfect yeah yeah. Manchester City that that was brilliant. it's amazing it's amazing it's amazing. walk me through that what you just said. now that you in that space six months. you're reflecting figuring it out we're. waiting for that next. balloon we've let the other balloon go. what does James cordon's creative. process Stillness waiting for the idea. building an idea look like what does. that look like where does that where. does inspiration strike where does it.

come from where do you seek it when. you've let go of something without. knowing what's. next what I'm really. trying to do. now. is. not rush anything I spent a long time. squeezing so many things in MH that. actually now I I I just sort of think. well don't force an. idea to be the whatever it is that you.

that you might you know write or do or. but then at the same time I think what I. have to really be conscious of now is to. not be too afraid to not be too scared. to do anything because I think I've been. so enjoying. this feeling of not being on TV every. day and putting out content on whether.

it's YouTube or you know social I'm so. aware of how much was just being pushed. out all the time and that can come with. so much stuff totally It's good to sit. and work but then don't be scared to do. it don't be scared of the the the. failure of it I I've only took a screen. grab sure I think it's the guy who's the. new CEO of Vans shoes I think okay we.

used to work at UH Logitech and it says. here I've just got the screen grab which. ran for a decade and which he ran for a. decade and he penned a do seus like poem. titled The Secret of success oh sorry. the secret to success avoid it it reads. in part success makes you fearful of. losing your place of gambling with. stature of losing your face and it is. there is an element of that which I feel. of like well there's a very very very.

real chance that you do. something and it's. you know and all the greats have. had that they've all done there oh my. God but I think that's why I was so Keen. to even in this period to make this this. podcast called this life of mine to like. go well no I I know I know what this is. like this this idea of this podcast is. an idea I had when I was 16 mhm and I. wrote it out wow love that I wrote it.

out and it was called Planet lovely MH. that's name now it's called Planet. lovely because do you remember there. used to be a TV show uh on TV on BBC 2. when we were growing up uh called Room. 101 yeah of course so Room 101 was a. show where people would take things they. hated in life yeah and they would be. they would put them into Room 101 and. they'd be gone forever ever it was a. really funny show a brilliant show and. premise and I was like. 16 I was like well this is.

great wouldn't it be brilliant to make a. show which is just people talking about. things that they love Yeah and things. that are really significant in their. life beautiful and I wrote this like. thing yeah this planet lovely it's not. called Planet lovely anymore came to the. came to the decision that that's a a not. great title but I was like why don't we. just have people talk about yeah things. that are significant in their life. whether it's a film uh a place a person.

a memory a possession a song and uh and. and and the real the you know I really. really wanted to do it so I was like I. can I create something in a completely. different medium that feels almost the. antithesis of what the Late Late Show. was it's it's completely different it's. calm and it's quiet and it's soft and. it's people talking about things that. they love or that were moments in their.

life and like some of the stuff that. we've heard has just been great so I've. really loved that creativity I'd love. the creativity of. just I don't you know like we're going. to put this on Sirus XM and hopefully. people find it and hopefully it'll be. just a piece of Joy it'll be a warm. heart hug on a Sunday afternoon and that. would be a lovely thing to put out into. the world but that's a sort of uh.

gestation period of 30 years I don't. think I should do that again but I do. think what I'd really love to do is try. and write one more thing yeah I'd love. to try and write one more thing I'd love. to write again with Ruth Jones who I. wrote Gavin and Stacy with I I I love. her so much she is. and has been a a a constant in my life. as a friend and you want to talk about a.

long friendship you. know and so I'd love to try and write. something else with her I don't know. what that'll be I don't even know if. we'll ever if we'll do it I don't know. but you know we we do we do have chats. about yeah maybe this is a thing you. know yeah so that that's what I'd really. love to do is just Have you listened to. Bradley Cooper talk about making my mro. yeah I did yeah Rec where he really just. made a decision to give himself over.

entirely for three. years to that project to just go what. does it feel like actually to not move. from one thing to the next to be here. there doing this doing that what is it. what does it feel like to just give. myself over in every way to the point. where I imagine a lot of people around. him on that set were earning more. financially but like as a as a as a.

challenge to give himself over to it in. the most beautiful way I think. is it's so inspiring to watch and I. don't know if I've ever done that I. don't I know I haven't done that I never. like that on that level but like I don't. think I've. ever completely just given myself over. to something and seen it through from. Inception to pushing it on the water and. letting other people decide whether it's.

good or not and seeing who I am the. other side of it like that's I. think that would be a. really good thing to to do like I might. go to I might go there's this I just. found this like seven weekend course at. the film School in beckfield or seven I. don't know how many days I can't that. might be wrong but I like I think. maybe I'll maybe I'll do that I wouldn't. mind doing some acting classes I didn't. I just wouldn't mind.

just going well can I I wonder if. there's one more thing yeah and if there. isn't how lucky was I yeah you know but. I really feel like I I might be getting. to a spot where I might have something. to say. yeah James you are you're very unique. and uh. extremely extremely thoughtful and. conscious and so honest and genuine it's.

it's been such a treat talking to you. honestly like genuinely just sitting. with you and I know that I'm listening. to an actual stream of. Consciousness more than curated answers. and you know it's it's really powerful. it's been really really special and I. want to thank you for giving me this. space holding this space and trusting me. with it it's I mean I I mean it it's a. it's it's a real thrill to uh to sit and. chat with you it's it's it's it's great.

it's it's a lovely thing you've created. here it's brilliant it's really. brilliant what you're doing I'm so uh. it's strange I don't know if you feel. this but I feel. like there's a strange thing with like. Brits that go to America cuz it's only. like there's only a handful of us who. know how hard it is and how vast that is. so like. when I look at when I look at your stuff. and I see the things that you're putting. out and like I think I walk past like a.

huge billboard of you the other week and. I was like and I don't we've never met. but we have friends in common and I was. like yeah I was like I was like G on boy. yeah not when I get to work yet this is. great I like you're from you're from. wood green is wood green yeah you're. from wood green look at him I'm very. proud of you with no reason to be. no mate I I appreciate it and uh you. know offline today and online you've. given me a lot of mentorship and.

coaching that I'll take on and I'll. practice in my life honestly that you've. left me with some really thoughtful. pieces of insight but we end every show. with a final five and these are F the. Fast Five which are answered in one word. to one sentence maximum of course and so. and I'll ruin that rule every time. because you give such wonderful answers. but we'll try we'll start there abely. we'll start there so James these are. your Fast Five first question is what is. the best advice you've ever heard or. received to ask yourself is this of my.

concern right I'm going to break it. already but I really think that phrase. is one of the most important things you. can hang on to is to just. go there's there's a great power in. being able to. say that's none of my concern it's more. polite than saying I don't care it's. more truthful than saying it's nothing. to do with me because sometimes it will.

be to do with you but is it of your. concern do you need. to engage with it you just. go sorry what was that someone say. something think about it oh that's none. of my. concern and carry on I love that super. powerful okay question number two what. is is the worst piece of advice you've. ever heard or. received oh. jeez oh God it's weird you know I think.

just do it right yeah the Nike the Nike. if you're in America and the Nike if. you're in England uh Britain the I think. just do it is a brilliant slogan right I. think it's one of the most powerful. slogans in the world and what makes it. so powerful is the is the Full Stop is. the period just do it MH right just do. it great but that can really have other. connotations so I would say I would say.

don't just do it ask whether you want to. do it yeah and do you really want to do. it yeah and then do it like I love I. love how you just went up against the. greatest slogan of all time I do think. it's a masterpiece I just sometimes. think yeah cuz it's like uh you know I. would say like you know crystal meth. don't just do it don't just do it yeah. really don't just do it yeah I love it. now the new one when we go walking bus. the night store in England it's G be do. you really want to do it ask yourself.

seriously do you really want to do it. and if the answer is yes yeah just do. it I love it I love it I'm looking. forward to seeing that billboard with. you on it it's not as Snappy I don't. know if it'll really take off uh. question number three how would you. define your current purpose I think my. current purpose. is to let it be and accept whatever it. ish and that's not work that's life.

accept all of it don't get caught up in. what you thought something should be MH. just accept what it is and realize how. incredibly amazing it is to just be. alive it's. brilliant question number four what does. it feel like when Tom Cruz says to you. your life is more valuable than his.

feels like a lie. [Laughter]. Jay feels like a yeah it feels like a. lie and I think I knew that at the time. yeah but you believed it he I mean man. he could say anything and I'll believe. him he you know anything at all like the. guy is just exceptional oh my God God. amazing yeah Special uh Fifth and final. question which we asked every guest. who's ever been on the show if you could.

create one law that everyone in the. world had to follow what would it be I. think the law should be for every minute. you spend on social media that when you. come off the app you're not allowed back. on for that many. minutes so if you go on for an hour. you're locked out for an hour if you're. on for 2 minutes you're locked out for 2. minutes and I believe that should be the. absolute law I don't prescribe to this.

notion that these things should be. banned I think it's insane to think that. I just think that actually we regulate. the speed on the road we. regulate uh what age you are when you. can vote what age you are when you can. get married have a child do a degree. drink alcohol all these things and. actually I think one regulation would be. that yeah you know yeah you could you. could SP if you need to spend seven.

hours on it the second it's dormant for. a minute you're locked out for S hours. and I think people would be I think it. would be great I think it would be. brilliant that is genius that's my. that's my is genius we've never had. anything like that on the show that is. Gen I pitched it once to to I was at. conference thing uh interview in quite a. prominent sort of Silicon Valley yeah. type you know CEO and I pitched this as.

an idea in the room and it did not go. down they did not respond as well as you. with all they were like well that's why. would we ever do that we are monetizing. every all of their time we want all of. their time James we don't want some of. their time we want to steal it. all I I'm the opposite I'm thinking how. do we make that happen like what that. that's brilliant I think it's a really. interesting thing to play with cuz again.

it's not I'm on a diet I'm I'm on a. detox on it's not you know not going. this is awful this you know be on it for. seven days and I think all of these. things all of these things social media. the stuff like you know the way people. the way that you know the new thing. where we talk about Ai and it's like of. course it's terrifying it's also going. to be miraculous and Brilliant so. nothing's nothing is all bad nothing is. all good no one is all bad no one is all. good it's impossible but what you can do. is regulate these things in a sense and.

if that was just the we would all accept. it we'd all accept it and I'm sure. someone somewhere will find a hack that. means you can't but on the whole people. would just go along with it and they. would I can't open I'll open it in a. minute and then they would stop and look. up and realize that actually maybe maybe. out here can nourish me more than it. does in there it's very hard to leave in. there when it's always there James your. world class uh this life of mine is.

available right now wherever you listen. to podcasts uh Sirius right is sirious. XM yeah Sirus XM and so I hope you guys. subscribe follow uh and look out for an. episode I'm going to get to jump on the. podcast too so I'm really really really. looking forward to that and uh again. thank you so much James this is absolute. privilege cheers man if you love this. episode you'll love my interview with. Will Smith on owning your truth and. unlocking the power of manifestation. anybody who hasn't spoken to their. parents or their brother call them right.

now don't think you're going to have a. chance to call them tomorrow or next. week that opportunity with my father. changed every relationship in my life.