James Corden turns 48 today (August 22), and despite a lengthy career, some fans are only just realising he appeared on a soap in one of his first roles. After rising to stardom in 2007 on BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey, the actor made a huge name for himself on both sides of the Atlantic, resulting in him presenting The Late Late Show in the US between 2015 and 2023.
Early role on Hollyoaks
It was in the late 1990s, however, that he made one of his first screen appearances - on Channel 4's Hollyoaks. Corden was cast as a school janitor called Wayne Clark - one of his earliest speaking parts after featuring in Nickelodeon football comedy Renford Rejects and Boyz Unlimited, also on Channel 4.
Corden would go on to appear 18 times in the Chester-based soap between November 19, 1998 and May 31, 1999.
Character details and behind-the-scenes
Hollyoaks Wiki says of his role online: "Wayne Clark was a janitor who worked at Hollyoaks Community College in 1999. Wayne was friends with Paul Millington and Sol Patrick, befriending them as they worked community service for a car theft in May 1998. After leaving HCC, Wayne ran a car wash stall and employed Sol. After Sol was imprisoned for stealing a car and crashing it, Wayne closed the stall and left the village."
It appears he has no regrets about his exit. In 2020, he told The New Yorker magazine he'd rejected a £70,000 deal to extend his contract. "I swear to God, if I had done that show I’d have been there for five years, and I’d probably be on Dancing with the Stars right now," he said.
Fans react to his soap past
The star also previously claimed he was "fat-shamed" and likened the Hollyoaks experience to being in prison and "hell on earth". Corden revealed he even refused to film one particular scene where his character, Wayne, had bedroom walls decorated with photos of junk food. "I thought that they were just really being nasty about anyone that's overweight," he said. "I remember saying to the guy, 'I don't know one person who would take a picture of a hot dog and a burger and stick them on the wall'."
In a 'Hollyoaks Overdose' Facebook post recalling Corden's time on the show, one user asked: "Who remembers James Corden in Hollyoaks? Don’t think we will be seeing him return to be honest!" Writing in response, one Facebook user admitted: "Don't remember at all." A second person added: "I think this was way before my time." A third commented: "Apparently he doesn't like to be reminded of this role!" While a fourth quipped: "I do [remember], I also remember a loud farting noise as he walked away in scenes in the school corridors."
Hollyoaks has been contacted for comment.
Other TV roles over the years
Corden's very first role came in the children's sitcom Out Of Tune on CBBC as he was cast as Lee in episode one. From there he would go on to feature on the aforementioned Renford Rejects and Boyz Unlimited, but in the meantime he'd also starred on the big screen. In 1997 he appeared in British sports drama film Twenty Four Seven as Carl 'Tonka' Marsh, and two years later he was cast as Walter in Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?
Arguably his breakthrough TV role came before Gavin and Stacey, as Corden starred alongside Ruth Jones for the first time in Fat Friends as Jamie Rymer between 2000 and 2005. After his iconic role as Neil 'Smithy' Smith, the actor featured in Doctor Who before turning presenter - hosting the Brit Awards for four consecutive years and becoming the host of Sky's A League Of Their Own for 14 series.
Corden also established his hugely successful Carpool Karaoke series as well as landing several more presenting roles prior to his US breakthrough on The Late Late Show. In film, his biggest roles have come in Into The Woods, Peter Rabbit, Trolls and Cats.
