A fellow passenger on a British Airways flight that was forced to make an emergency landing in Lisbon over the weekend has defended James Corden, after the temperamental TV personality was photographed venting his frustration at airport staff.
Nearly 20 months ago, the former host of the “Late Late Show” became the subject of multiple reports about people accusing him being rude or “terrible” to colleagues or to people who served him at some point, including waiters at a popular New York City restaurant.
But on Sunday, the TV host was praised for speaking up for his fellow passengers after they endured a terrifying flight from Faro, Portugal, that supposedly was bound for London’s Heathrow Airport, Metro reported. After takeoff, the plane failed to gain altitude due to a technical problem and then, after the plane landed, it and the passengers had to sit on the tarmac for several hours. a passenger told Metro.
But even after Corden and the other passengers were finally allowed to disembark, they also were herded into the wrong lines, prompting the entertainer and others to confront a British Airways employee, Metro reported.
A woman named Vanessa, who was on the flight with her husband and mother, said the passengers were told to assume “the brace position” after the plane failed to gain altitude. The crew also told them to be prepared to find the nearest emergency exit and vacate the plane once they landed. Vanessa told Metro that the technical issue had to do with the flaps on the wing not “going down” when they were supposed to.
But once the plane landed, the passengers were told that they no longer had to assume the brace position, Vanessa said. They also were forced to stay on the plane, where they remained for another three hours before the plane was taken out of service.
But during those three hours, Corden took it upon himself to try and keep up the passengers’ spirits, Vanessa said. He walked up and down the aisles talking to people, joking and posing for selfies with them.
“He was just really nice, he would have been well within his rights to sit and sulk in his seat like the rest of us would be doing but he didn’t,” Vanessa told Metro.
Vanessa also confirmed to Metro that Corden only confronted the British Airways employee because passengers were being directed to the wrong lines after they disembarked. Some were passengers with children.
“So then BA finally let us off the plane,” Vanessa said. “We’re in the terminal and there was not a member of BA staff to be found. And they put us in immigration queues. And there was just no one there telling us what was going on.”
Passengers were eventually given a flight to London, but not until 9:30 a.m. the following morning, Vanessa told Metro. When passengers returned to the airport the next day, Corden again behaved pleasantly to other passengers, even though that flight was delayed for two hours.
It seems that Corden may have learned from his past mistakes, Metro pointed out.
In October 2022, he was publicly labeled “a tiny cretin of a man” on Instagram by Keith McNally, the owner of the popular New York eatery Balthazar. McNally claimed that Corden made rude remarks to one of his staff because the restaurant incorrectly prepared an egg-yolk omelet for Corden’s wife, who has an allergy to egg whites. McNally, who is known for being brash and provocative, said Corden was the “most abusive customer” in his restaurant’s 25-year history and briefly banned him from his restaurant.
Corden took time on the “Late Late Show” to apologize for his remark to the Balthazar server, but explained that he became frustrated over a series of missteps made by the restaurant’s staff. “It is a comment I deeply regret,” Corden said.
The Balthazar incident ignited a torrent of online accusations about other instances when Corden was allegedly rude to other restaurant waiters, as well as to colleagues and people who work for him. The accusations threatened to puncture Corden’s image as a genial entertainer and relatable, easy-going celebrity.
Metro reported that Ricky Gervais has spoken about his difficult personality, Mel B hailed him as the “biggest (expletive) celebrity,” and one director described him as “obnoxious.” Metro also said he’s been embroiled in feuds with various celebrities, including Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Stewart.
