James Corden's Replacement 'Needs to Be a Person of Color' Says Lilly Singh

Senior TV & Film Reporter (Interviews)

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In a late night scene that includes the likes of Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers, Lilly Singh thinks the next name on that list "needs to be a person of color."

Singh hosted her own NBC show for three years—A Little Late with Lilly Singh—and she's weighed in on who should take James Corden's role on The Late Late Show after the British comedian decided to walk away from the CBS franchise.

CBS has yet to announce future plans for The Late Late Show, or who may take Corden's 12:35 a.m. slot. Singh floated Mindy Kaling, Issa Rae and Sandra Oh as possible replacements.

Drawing from her own experience, Singh suggested whoever take over from Corden needs to "buckle up" and prepare for the "ruthless machine" that is a late night talk show.

James Corden and Lilly Singh — This combined image shows James Corden, left, and Lilly Singh, right. Following Corden's departure from "The Late Late Show," Singh told Newsweek the next host "needs to be a person of color." CBS / NBC

Singh's next professional venture is to manage a band of musical puppets in the Disney+ comedy The Muppets Mayhem, launching Wednesday, May 10. Ahead of this, Singh spoke to Newsweek to discuss who she'd like to see on late night TV.

"I want to be hesitant to say anyone's name because they know that me saying their name is going to force them into a situation, that is a schedule that is ruthless like I experienced. I wish that on no one," Singh told Newsweek. "I did 96 episodes in three months, I wish that on no one.

"Having said that, I definitely think it needs to be a person of color. I would love to see a woman of color. I think that space is really, really tough. And it there's definitely a need for it to be kind of reinvented and revolutionized."

Singh herself was part of a late night revolution when she started hosting A Little Late on September 16, 2019, taking over the 1:35 a.m. slot previously filled by Last Call with Carson Daly. In doing so Singh became the first openly bisexual and the first person of South Asian descent to host a major late night show.

She hosted 177 episodes across two seasons before NBC canceled the show, with the final episode airing on June 3, 2021.

Jimmy Fallon, Lilly Singh, Seth Meyers — Lilly Singh, center, was welcomed to the late night circuit by Jimmy Fallon, left, and Seth Meyers, right, during an episode of "The Tonight Show" back in 2019. Singh's next professional venture is to manage... NBC

"There needs to be a new perspective, there needs to be new resources put towards different people. That was a big struggle of mine as well," Singh said of her NBC show.

She suggested the type of person she'd like to see take a shot at The Late Late Show hot seat.

"I'll just throw out some people that I love, I'm not saying it should be them but, if there was like a Mindy [Kaling], if there was an Issa Rae, if there was like a Sandra Oh. I just want to see, something new needs to happen.

"Whoever it is needs to just buckle up because it is a ruthless machine. And I will also say, more important than who it is, whichever network or company is behind them, needs to be ready to put their money where their mouth is and give them the resources they deserve," Singh said.

After A Little Late with Lilly Singh was canceled, NBC gave the slot back to affiliates across the country. Since the show finished, Singh has returned to updating her wildly popular YouTube channel with new videos, as well as starring in Hulu series Dollface, appearing as a judge on Canada's Got Talent, and now fronting the new Disney+ show with the Muppets.

The 10-part comedy show The Muppets Mayhem launches on Disney+ on Friday, May 10. Newsweek will have more from Singh, her human co-stars, and some of the Muppets themselves in the build up to the show's launch.