James Corden said Carpool Karaoke could make its return this summer.
The hugely popular The Late Late Show segment – which features stars belting out their hits while being driven around by Corden – has been on hiatus amid the pandemic.
Former One Direction singer Niall Horan was the most recent to feature, appearing in a March 2020 episode shortly before the health crisis brought the world to a standstill.
But during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Corden revealed the segment could be back in a matter of months.
He said: “I don’t know really, we wonder when someone will tell us it’s OK. I don’t know, I’m hopeful for the end of summer or autumn time that we’ll be able to do it again.
“It feels like there’s a whole raft of artists that we’re desperate to do it with that have had the most incredible last few years.”
Corden joked CBS Television City – where The Late Late Show is filmed in Los Angeles – is “the strictest building, maybe on Earth” but he remains hopeful Carpool Karaoke could be back sooner rather than later.
He said: “I hope so much we’ll be able to do it before the end of the year. I hope.”
During his appearance on DeGeneres’ show, Corden recalled the time superstar Stevie Wonder appeared on Carpool Karaoke in 2015.
He described the “incredibly moving” appearance as a “turning point” for the segment, which has since attracted A-listers including Adele, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John and Jennifer Lopez.
Wonder serenaded Corden’s wife, Julia, over the phone with a personalised version of I Just Called To Say I Love You.
Corden said: “What’s on TV was really moving, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with it. So much of my life, I just think, ‘if this was an auction prize, this would go for millions of dollars’.
“Stevie Wonder is going to call your wife and sing ‘I just called to say James loves you’.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve so many memories.”
Corden also revealed TV producer Julia – who he married in 2012 – was in a restaurant toilet when Wonder called.
He said: “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 when someone was singing this love song down the phone.
“And I’m glad I didn’t know that at the time because it was so moving when it happened in real life.”