In 2011, James Corden was not yet dominating late night with musical comedy bits, but he was well-known and loved in the UK as, amongst other things, a character named Smithy of British comedy Gavin and Stacey. As Smithy, Corden was already workshopping his future viral content with cultural icons.
Marie Clairefound the old sketch above, in which Corden/Smithy is contacted to lend his popularity to Comic Relief. Turns out he’s tootling around in the car with George Michael, who wants to join him at Comic Relief headquarters, but is turned away by Corden because “Comic Relief’s about helping people like you.” This is obviously a bummer for Michael, but Corden coaxes him out of it by singing his own song to him on the car radio, Wham!’s “I’m Your Man.”
The segment begins at around minute one, and by minute three Corden is leaving George Michael alone in the car. They’re reunited for more singing at the end, driving off into the gray English sunset.
