Rob Brydon defends James Corden from negative reporting: “He gets a lot of stick”

James Corden and Rob Brydon

Rob Brydon has defended his Gavin & Stacey co-star James Corden, saying he “gets a lot of stick” from the media.

Post Gavin & Stacey, Corden’s profile was boosted by him hosting The Late Late Show between 2015 and 2023, as well as other high-profile roles in Hollywood. However, he has also faced numerous damning reports about his conduct.

He has also received criticism from celebrities such as Mel B, who in 2022 branded him one of the “biggest dickhead” public figures she’s ever met while Sharon Osbourne took aim at the comedian and host during her stint on Celebrity Big Brother.

Additionally, a TV director branded Corden “the most difficult and obnoxious presenter” he had ever worked with: “I was asked by his production company [if I would] be willing to direct a challenge that was gonna be part of their A League of Their Own show. It was season seven, episode three, and I’ll never forget it.”

James Corden, Rob Brydon and Adrian Scarborough
James Corden, Rob Brydon and Adrian Scarborough. Credit: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty

However, Brydon – who played Uncle Bryn opposite Corden’s Smithy in Gavin & Stacey – has now stepped in to praise Corden in an interview with The Times.

“The James Corden I know is not the person I sometimes see people reported on. He gets a lot of stick.”

Brydon continued: “I’m hugely fond of him. I’d never heard of him when we met on a show in 2002, but I vividly remember saying to myself, ‘Oh I’ve got to pull my socks up here; this kid is really good’.”

The pair will appear on screen together again for the last-ever episode of Gavin & Stacey, which will air on Christmas Day. Brydon confirmed in an episode of The One Show that the cast hadn’t yet started filming the episode, saying cameras wouldn’t start rolling until “after the summer”.

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