Lily Allen divulged an unexpected and rather blunt insight about James Corden while reminiscing about their friendship on her podcast.
These days, both Allen and Corden enjoy substantial success; Allen has an array of hit songs under her belt, and Corden has transitioned from UK sitcoms to Hollywood films and American talk shows.
However, Allen noted a particular behavior in Corden before his career took off, especially in his interactions with her and her social circle.
During an episode of her podcast, Miss Me?, a fan inquired if Allen had ever encountered any ‘actually famous’ individuals she would label as ‘beg friends’.
A ‘beg friend’ is someone who is overly eager in a friendship, perhaps seeking to leverage it for their own benefit, such as making connections with others.
Allen described it as, “kind of a latching on, jumping onto s**t”.
“You can smell it a mile off,” she explained. “You know when someone contacts you, and then you don’t respond to that thing, and then a couple days later they’ll send you a message?
“Like, ‘Just following up on this.’ It’s like, I know. That’s why I ignored you, and when you keep following up, that’s the begging.”
In conversation with her co-host, Miquita Oliver, Allen mentioned that she only spent a brief period of time with Corden, although she did invite him onto her chat show, Lily Allen and Friends, back in 2008.
Responding to the fan’s question, she stated: “Yeah, James Corden was a bit of a beg friend for me.
“James came on my chat show and was very flirtatious with me, and we sort of made friends, and I introduced him to a group of my friends.”
“I’d say if I’ve ever had a famous beggy friend it was James Corden, back in the day,” Allen added.
Nonetheless, she emphasized that Corden no longer behaves in that manner.
Since his 2008 appearance on Allen’s show, Corden has starred in films such as Begin Again, Trolls, The Emoji Movie, Cats, and Cinderella.
He hosted The Late Late Show with James Corden from 2015 to 2023 and has also produced the Tony Awards.
Reflecting on their current status, Allen noted: “He’s not begging me anymore. I’m not begging him either. I can’t do anything for him now. He’s good.”
Corden has also shared his perspective on their relationship in a memoir published in 2011, where he claimed that Allen had asked for his number at a party.
He recounted spending time with Allen a few years later, writing: “I guess I went out with Lily four or five times in total after that and not once was it a proper date. It always seemed to involve other people and not just the two of us.”
Allen has confessed that she is not entirely blameless when it comes to being a ‘beg friend’, admitting she has been ‘beg friending’ singer Charli XCX.