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James Corden shares touching story about Betty White believing in him when he didn't

By Megan Armstrong | Last updated 1/5/22

Everyone who came into contact with Betty White seems to have nothing but fond memories of the iconic actress following her death at 99 years old on New Year's Eve. James Corden shared a particularly heartwarming story during Monday night's The Late Late Show:

"Betty White was one of the funniest, kindest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in the time since I've been doing this show," Corden said. "She was incredible. She radiated joy everywhere she went while keeping her razor-sharp sense of humor throughout her entire 99 years on this Earth."

The 11-time Emmy winner praised White for bringing to life "some of the most memorable characters on television with a combination of humor and heart that was truly unique to her" in shows such as Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Corden then shared the story from White's first Late Late appearance shortly after the show launched in 2015:

"I went to see her in the dressing rooms before the show started, and she told me that she'd read an interview that I'd done before the show aired ... where I'd said that I thought this show was doomed to fail, and I'd be back in London within a few months. And I had no visions of staying here or being here, and I think I said in the interview, 'There's no chance you're gonna see me driving down Sunset Boulevard in a Porsche in three years time.'

"Betty told me before the show that she had read this interview, and she said to me, 'This show is gonna be an absolute hit.' And she gave me this, which was this [yellow toy] Porsche [that White signed] ... and she said, 'You can have this one until you buy your own and drive it down Sunset Boulevard because I absolutely believe you're gonna make a real success of this.' And it has sat in the shelf in my office, and I haven't bought a Porsche because I don't think I will ever be able to buy a Porsche that will mean more to me than this one that she gave me that day."

White was preparing to celebrate his 100th birthday on Jan. 17. Her passing was confirmed by Jeff Witjas, her agent and friend: "Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever. I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again."

Witjas has also since confirmed White "died peacefully in her sleep" from natural causes.

Ludden and White were married from 1963 until his death from cancer in 1981. She never remarried.

Watch clips of White with Corden over the years below.