Former television director Craig Duncan says people frequently ask him who in the industry has been most difficult to work with, to which he can respond with a definitive answer: James Corden.
“The most difficult and obnoxious presenter I’ve ever worked with is James Corden,” he revealed in a YouTube video shared to his channel.
“He’s a bully. He was bullying me, I think” Duncan told Fox News Digital of the late-night host.
“He was truly awful to me and many other people… by all accounts. Why should celebs get away with it?” he asked, while also questioning the integrity of the entertainment industry.
Craig Duncan did not have fond memories of James Corden from the “A League of Their Own” set, but was complimentary of the rest of the cast and crew. (YouTube/Fludded)
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Duncan alleges that he was approached about working with Corden in 2013 on his British sports-comedy panel show, “A League of Their Own.”
Prior to filming, he claims production asked him, “How are you working with difficult presenters?”
Having worked with personalities in the past, Duncan believed he could do the job, although the production company requested he come to a rehearsal just to “witness James at work.”
In his YouTube video, Duncan explains that during rehearsal, Corden was dismissive of a pre-written joke.
“He just looked at it and was like ‘That’s not funny, that’s not funny.’ He was like, ‘That’s s—. We have to rewrite that. We have to rewrite this.’ And I don’t know, maybe he was having a bad day… but I definitely thought, ‘Man, somebody wrote that, not nice, but you know television isn’t for the faint-hearted.… Sometimes you have to take these knocks on the chin.”
On the day of filming, the rest of the cast and crew were exceptionally pleasant, according to Duncan. He was highly complimentary of the other presenters, including Jack Whitehall and Andrew Flintoff.
Andrew Flintoff and James Corden took part in several challenges for the show, “A League of Their Own.” (Mike Egerton – EMPIC)
“They want to work with you, they understand you have a job to do,” he told Fox News Digital. “The worst part of the day was toward the end of the day when [Corden] had to get back to the studio,” describing time constraints with the presenter’s schedule.
Duncan said things changed when Corden arrived “with his posse,” staring at the set with a “glum face.”
The director remembered Corden shouting at him, “It’s obvious what you do – you put a camera there, you put a camera there.… It’s so obvious how you shoot it. You’re stupid.”
“And I was like, he’s absolutely right,” saying he acquiesced to Corden.
“Cheers, James. You got your way, well done.… I hope I never, ever work with you again,” Duncan said at the end of his YouTube video.
When asked why he chose to expose Corden’s behavior a decade later, Duncan explained his greater issue lies with the industry.
Craig Duncan says the incident happened while filming an episode of “A League of Their Own.” (Ian Gavan)
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“Its [sic] nothing personal about James Cordon. Its [sic] more how the industry harbors and feeds this kind of stuff. He may well have changed entirely and is a decent guy now… This is just my experience from my perspective and one I’ve shared with friends and family for years,” he explained to Fox News Digital.
“Why should celebs get away with it? I’m very happy to relay my experiences with them – especially now the TV industry holds less power over us. The industry needs to change,” he said, adding he has had positive experiences with famous people as well.
Duncan says he is done with TV now, giving him more freedom to speak openly about his experiences.
Craig Duncan shared that he hopes to never work with James Corden again. (YouTube/Fludded)
Although he has not heard from Corden, Duncan says he wouldn’t be receptive to a conversation. “I wouldn’t take the call if he even tried contacting me. I’m busy,” he told Fox News Digital.
Despite his reluctance to speak to Corden, he hopes that the star has found people in his life that inspire him to be nicer.
A representative for Corden did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
This is not the first time Corden has faced controversy.
In October, the TV host and actor was momentarily banned from New York restaurant Balthazar, after the owner, Keith McNally, alleged he “yell[ed] like crazy” at one his servers, earning him the award for “most abusive customer.”
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McNally reversed the ban after Corden apologized “profusely” when the story got media attention.
Corden also apologized on his late night program, “The Late Late Show,” explaining his wife’s order was the point of conflict.
“As her meal came wrong to the table the third time, in the heat of the moment, I made a sarcastic, rude comment about cooking it myself. And it is a comment I deeply regret,” he shared.
Mel B has been open about not being fond of the way James Corden treated other people. (Terence Patrick/CBS )
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In December, “Spice Girls” singer Mel B shared that while she has met many, the “biggest d—head” she had ever encountered was Corden.
“I think you always have to be nice to the people that you work with – whether it be production, camera guys, sound, lighting,” she said of Corden’s behavior. “We all work for the same thing, so you should always be nice, and he hasn’t been very nice.”
Duncan alluded to Corden’s attitude being an act, telling Fox News Digital, “He’s never rude to celebrities.… He loves them and he’s leaning into them.”
Craig Duncan believes that James Corden acts differently around celebrities than he does regular people. (David Livingston/WireImage)
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“When I see him gushing at other celebs it’s so cringe. They have no idea what he can really be like.”