James Corden Didn’t Realize Stevie Wonder Sang to His Wife While She Was in a Bathroom
James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” bit is one of the most enjoyable segments of his late night show. His first singing partner was the late George Michael, and over the years, he’s welcomed Bruno Mars, Adele, Migos, Usher, Mariah Carey, and even Michelle Obama.
When Corden brought music legend Stevie Wonder to The Late Late Show to sing his hits, it turned into an unforgettable moment for Corden and his wife. And he just revealed where Mrs. Corden was when she received the call.
Stevie Wonder sang to James Corden’s wife in 2015
Fans can find “Carpool Karaoke” videos on The Late Late Show with James Corden YouTube channel where collectively, they’ve reached at least 1 billion views. Back in 2015, Stevie Wonder joined Corden in the car. He sang a medley of his classics, including “Superstitious,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” and “For Once in My Life.” To date, the video has racked up more than 50 million hits.
But in the middle of their duets, Corden spoke to Wonder’s wife on the phone, and the singer returned the favor with a surprise call to Corden’s wife, Julia. The Cordens have been married since 2012 and share three children.
Wonder serenaded Julia — a.k.a. Jules — with a rendition of “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” and it made Corden tear up. Many viewers choked up at the sweet exchange too.
James Corden says his wife was in a public restroom during Stevie Wonder song
Corden paid a visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show and reminisced about some of his past “Carpool Karaoke” guests. He said Wonder’s appearance marked a turning point for the special segment because it struck a chord with the audience.
“We came up with this idea — and I didn’t tell my wife — and we thought maybe it’ll be fun if Stevie would call Julia, my wife, and sing ‘I Just Called to Say James Loves You.’ And I didn’t tell her that he was gonna call,” he said.
Corden recalled how emotional he felt, and he thought he was incredibly lucky. He said what viewers saw on TV is really moving, but he had no idea where his wife was when she answered the phone.
“What I didn’t know is when I got home, my wife Julia was actually in a bathroom stall at a restaurant when the phone rang. So, I had this gorgeous image of her just being completely overwhelmed with emotion. But she was just literally in a toilet at a restaurant as he was singing this love song on the phone,” said Corden.
He added that he’s relieved he didn’t find out until later because it would have spoiled the moment for him. His reaction on camera was genuine.
“Carpool Karaoke” is on hiatus for obvious reasons right now, but The Late Late Show is airing in a modified format. In addition to seeing Corden host his nightly chat show, fans can catch him as Peter in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. The movie arrives in theaters on June 11.
