James Corden has been a household name for over two decades, but some fans are only just realising he appeared in a major UK soap as a janitor in one of his early TV roles
James Corden celebrates his 48th birthday today (August 22) and, despite a career spanning several decades, many fans are only now discovering that he made an appearance in a UK soap during one of his earliest roles. Having shot to fame in 2007 on the BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey, the actor carved out a reputation on both sides of the Atlantic, going on to host The Late Late Show in the US between 2015 and 2023.
It appears he doesn’t look back fondly on his time on the show in question, however. In 2020, he revealed to The New Yorker magazine that he had turned down a £70,000 deal to extend his contract. “I swear to God, if I had done that show I’d have been there for five years, and I’d probably be on Dancing with the Stars right now,” he said.
The star has also previously alleged he was “fat-shamed” and compared the acting experience to being in prison and “hell on earth”. Corden disclosed he even declined to film one specific scene where his character, Wayne, had bedroom walls adorned with photographs of junk food.
“I thought that they were just really being nasty about anyone that’s overweight,” he said. “I remember saying to the guy, ‘I don’t know one person who would take a picture of a hot dog and a burger and stick them on the wall’.”
The soap in question is Hollyoaks, which Corden starred in in the late 1990s. He was cast as a school janitor called Wayne Clark – one of his earliest speaking parts after featuring in Nickelodeon football comedy, Renford Rejects and Boyz Unlimited, also on Channel 4.
In fact, Corden would go on to appear 18 times in the Chester-based soap between November 19, 1998 and May 31, 1999.
Hollyoaks Wiki says of his role online: “Wayne Clark was a janitor who worked at Hollyoaks Community College in 1999. Wayne was friends with Paul Millington and Sol Patrick, befriending them as they worked community service for a car theft in May 1998.
“After leaving HCC, Wayne ran a car wash stall and employed Sol. After Sol was imprisoned for stealing a car and crashing it, Wayne closed the stall and left the village.”
In a ‘Hollyoaks Overdose’ Facebook post reflecting on Corden’s stint on the programme, meanwhile, one user asked: “Who remembers James Corden in Hollyoaks? Don’t think we will be seeing him return to be honest!”
Writing in response, one Facebook user admitted: “Don’t remember at all.”
A second person added: “I think this was way before my time.”
A third commented: “Apparently he doesn’t like to be reminded of this role!”.
While a fourth quipped: “I do [remember], I also remember a loud farting noise as he walked away in scenes in the school corridors.”
A representative for Hollyoaks has been contacted for comment.
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