Corden: Dad ruined drum dream

James Corden was given a single snare drum by his father when he asked for a drum kit for Christmas.

The British funnyman has reminisced about some of the festive periods which really stick in his memory. He can vividly recall becoming obsessed with the idea of being a drummer when he was young, and was sure his dad would treat him to the instrument on December 25.

"I wanted a drum kit one year and from September onwards, I was hinting non-stop to my dad. Then on Christmas Day, the first thing I unwrapped was a drum stick, so I thought, 'This is gonna be huge...' Then I walked into the living room and there it was: a snare drum. On its own," he laughed to British magazine Heat. "My dad knew I'd get bored of the snare drum and he was right, so my drumming career was pretty much over by Boxing Day."

It's a good job the 36-year-old star didn't get the drums as a gift, as they might have stopped him achieving his true calling. He's now a successful Hollywood star with parts in flicks like Begin Again and Into the Woods, has performed on Broadway and is about to start as a late night US talk show host. He's looking forward to that, even if it is terrifying.

"I didn't ever expect it to happen, so I'm shocked and surprised. But it's too big to say no to. It's a change to create something new and fresh, and to talk to America every night. It's really daunting. People will judge it and be harsh far too early, but I just want to enjoy it," he said.