The secret to James Corden’s US success How did the Gavin & Stacey star end up hosting the Friends reunion – and every other US TV show? Blame his best friend, producer Ben Winston James Corden and Ben Winston at the 2019 Emmy Awards Credit: WireImage Some people have been waiting for a Friends reunion with the same urgent fervour of a Take That fan or a One Direction devotee desperate to see their idols recreate the magic that helped them navigate the mess of growing up. So, when HBO released the first full-length trailer for the upcoming reunion special, fans taking to social media to express frustration was unexpected – until you heard James Corden’s voice over and realised he was hosting the show.