James Corden: childhood spent playing the cornet in uniform seems 'ridiculous'

Well, prepare to see the star in a whole different light as he swaps his usual interviewer role for the hot seat opposite comedian John Bishop and answers some probing questions about his faith.

The Gavin & Stacey star opens up about his religious childhood and how ridiculous he now feels parts of it were on the new W series John Bishop: In Conversation With…, where he features as the first guest.

James Corden recently met Michelle Obama for carpool karaoke on The Late Late Show (Late Late Show)

John asks The Late Late Show host about growing up in a “Salvation Army family” and playing the cornet in the Christian group’s parades around town.

The star explains: “The truth is, however you grow up, the surroundings you grow up in, you just think is normal. You just presume that everybody… There’s nothing weird about this, we’re all just putting a uniform on and marching through the town with a trumpet, this is completely normal.

“I only look back now and think, ‘What were we doing? This is ridiculous’.”

John Bishop will present the new interview show (PA)

Pushed further on whether he is still religious now, James says: “I really don’t know, I gave it a tremendous amount of thought… Spiritual, absolutely. What is faith? I don’t know what it is, other than a hunch. And ultimately, if you were to say what are my beliefs, I really struggle because you can’t argue with science and I don’t, I think only a madman would.”

James’ dad is a very religious man and the comedian said he would still sometimes look to him for answers about faith.

He said of discussing spiritual matters: “With my dad, all the time, and he’s a very, very cool Christian who’s like, ‘Mate, I don’t know’.”

The series starts on W on September 1 and will also feature Charlotte Church, Rupert Everett, Jo Brand, Steve Coogan, Sir Lenny Henry, Freddie Flintoff, Miriam Margolyes, Kirsty Young and Alex Brooker.