James Corden's stint on "The Late Late Show" is coming to an end after almost a decade, and to mark the moment, his good friend and superstar Adele joined the host for one final - and emotional - "Carpool Karaoke."
Traditionally, Corden drives his passengers around as they belt out songs and talk about life, but for the final ever segment of "Carpool Karaoke," the roles were reversed.
"I'm actually not a brilliant driver," Adele confessed as she took the wheel and Corden slid into the passenger seat. "I also can't sing without closing my eyes," the British vocalist, who has an EGO - that's an Emmy, Grammy and Oscar - joked.
Within seconds, Corden gestured ahead. "You're very close to that car," he told the star as the pair erupted into laughter and then a duet of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep."
Over the last eight years, an array of celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and Celine Dion have joined Corden in his SUV, with the videos at times going viral. The segments brought the British actor and comic a new level of stardom in the United States.
First lady Michelle Obama also joined Corden for a drive in 2016, singing and dancing to Beyonc's "Single Ladies." In the sketch, the pair drove around the perimeter of the White House while talking about grilled cheese sandwiches and girls' education.
During the 20-minute segment, Adele and Corden discussed their friendship, life as two Brits living in the United States and how Corden and his wife, Julia, helped Adele as she navigated her split from ex-husband Simon Konecki in 2019.
Corden also recalled some of his most memorable carpool moments - and credited Mariah Carey for helping fuel the segment's success in the early days, when producers were struggling to book celebrities for "Carpool Karaoke."
"Everyone on planet Earth said no," Corden told Adele. "Then suddenly, Mariah Carey said 'yes.'"
Carey became Corden's first-ever "Carpool Karaoke" guest - but there was a catch, Corden revealed - as the award-winning musician initially did not want to sing during the journey. She soon succumbed, however, once Corden began playing her song "Always Be My Baby," joking that it just happened to be on the radio.
The segment went on to show the pair, both wearing sunglasses, attempting to harmonize on several other songs and coordinating dance moves.
When asked how he was feeling about his time as host ending, Corden said he was "excited and scared." Corden took over the show from Craig Ferguson in March 2015.
Speaking about the end of his time on the CBS show, Corden told Adele it had been "a brilliant adventure."
"I'm just so certain that it's time for us as a family - with people getting older, people that we miss - it's time to go home" to the United Kingdom, he said.
Adele admitted that she would miss Corden, adding through tears: "I'm just not ready to come back yet, otherwise I would come back with you."
Adele also revealed during the segment that a verse from her song "I Drink Wine" was partly inspired by a six-hour long conversation she had with Corden in 2020, when he described going through a difficult time.
Adele first appeared on "Carpool Karaoke" in January 2016. During the 15-minute segment Adele and Corden teamed up for a rendition of her hit-song "Hello," and then sang "Wannabe" by The Spice Girls.
The episode, in which Adele also showcased her rap skills by reciting verses from Nicki Minaj's song "Monster," generated more than 261 million views on YouTube alone.
"More than anything I will just miss going into work with my friends everyday," Corden said during his last carpool. "I'm really going to miss Los Angeles, I love it here."
The final "Carpool Karaoke" ended with the pair wiping away tears and embracing.
The final episodes of "The Late Late Show" with Corden, including a prime-time special, will air on Thursday.
