Reggie Watts to lead band on new ‘Late Late Show’

BY BILL KEVENEY

Gannett News Service

Musician and comedian Reggie Watts will be the bandleader on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.”

Corden takes over as host of the CBS late-night talk show on March 23, two weeks later than previously announced.

Watts, who has appeared on “Conan” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” is one of a number of appointments to Corden’s “Late Late Show” announced Friday. The show will be taped at CBS Television City in Los Angeles.

Watts has a wide range of performing titles, including musician, comedian, vocalist, beatboxer and improviser, and he’s known for creating musical sets on the spot using just his voice and looping pedals. He serves as house bandleader on IFC’s “Comedy Bang! Bang!”

Behind-the-scenes additions to “Late Late Show” include executive producer Rob Crabbe (“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”); co-executive producer and head writer Mike Gibbons (“Tosh.0”); supervising producer Sheila Rogers (“Late Show With David Letterman”) and producer Josie Cliff (“One Night with Robbie Williams”). They join executive producer Ben Winston.

Corden, who appears in the upcoming film “Into the Woods,” will succeed Craig Ferguson, who ends his 10-year run as “Late Late Show” host on Dec. 19.

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