Published on 13 September 2017
Sunderland graduate James Longman has won an Emmy award for his role as a Supervising Producer at The Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS.
James, who graduated with a degree in Media and Communication in 1998, received the accolade at the Emmy Awards which took place in LA last weekend (9-10 September 2017). This is the second Emmy James has picked up, having won the award last year for his role as part of the show’s production team.
James relocated to LA to work on the American late-night talk show in December 2015 and was also nominated last year as a BAFTA LA Newcomer.
He said: “I’m very happy – it was hugely unexpected. They split the Emmys up into three events and we are up for one more this weekend (Best Variety show) but that'd be even more unexpected!”
The Late Late Show has been a hit with US audiences and has won followers world-wide for its Car Pool Karaoke, which has seen Tom Hanks, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez and One Direction, among others, take a spin with Corden as they belt out a tune.
Since leaving Sunderland, James, from Essex, has gone on to become a successful television producer working from MTV, to Xtra Factor, to Never Mind The Buzzcocks, to Alan Carr: Chatty Man, among many others.
In December 2015 he relocated to LA to work with James Corden on The Late Late Show.
The 40-year-old said: “Producing a daily show is hectic and relentless, so the weeks fly by but I’ve made lots of fun bits so can't complain. LA is great, though there is a definitive culture change so adapting to that and moving my life out here has been challenging but rewarding.”
And yet, James still remembers with fondness the University that put him on the road to success.
He said: “I absolutely loved being at Sunderland. I lived the first year on the ninth floor at Wearmouth Hall and spent most nights at Manor Quay!
“I made some brilliant friends who I still see now. My course was great as well, really practical and useful. My main tutor was Mike O'Brien who I am still in contact with. He was a great teacher and really inspired me.”
James is a Supervising Producer on The Late Late Show with James Corden, developing and producing ideas for the show on a daily basis. He started life at MTV, before producing comedy shows such as The Friday Night Project, The Rob Brydon Show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Alan Carr: Chatty Man. He co-hosts an award winning West Ham podcast and also produced a short film, FestEvil, which screened at the prestigious BFI London Film Festival and is currently developing the feature version.