Lily Allen Calls James Corden ‘A Bit of a Beg Friend’ in BBC Podcast’

Lily Allen recently dished some major shade at James Corden during her BBC podcast, “Miss Me?” The “Smile” songstress, now 39, took a nostalgic trip back to 2008, recalling her experiences hosting the “Fat Friends” actor, now 44, on her old chat show “Lily Allen and Friends.” Alongside her best friend Miquita Oliver, Lily revealed some intriguing behind-the-scenes moments.

During their podcast, a listener’s question about ‘surprise beg friends’ who have climbed the fame ladder prompted Lily to spill the tea. “Yeah, James Corden was a bit of a big friend, for me,” she quipped, much to Miquita’s amusement.

Lily recounted how James had been quite the charmer, exuding ‘overly flirtatious’ vibes during his appearance on her show. This behavior led Lily to label him a “beg friend” to a curious fan. She explained, “I’d say if I’ve ever had a famous buggy friend, it was James, back in the day. He’s not begging me anymore. I’m not begging him either… I can’t do anything for him now. He’s good.”

Miquita chimed in, “And he knows it, so he’s not sniffing around here!” Admitting her memory of the time is “a bit hazy,” Lily recalled James’ account of her in his book, where he wrote that she was “leading him on,” a claim she firmly denies, told The Mirror.

Lily and James first crossed paths at the premiere of “The History Boys” film in 2006, around the time Lily burst onto the music scene with her debut single “Smile” and album “Alright, Still.” In his 2011 memoir, “May I Have Your Attention, Please?” James described Lily as “confident, funny, and intelligent.”

He wrote, “We got talking at the party after the film and she asked me for my phone number, which was a bit embarrassing as I was standing with my girlfriend at the time.”

The two didn’t meet again until 2008, when James was invited onto Lily’s BBC chat show to promote the new series of “Gavin and Stacey.” During the episode, James complimented Lily, calling her “lovely,” which led her to quip that he was asking her to “just f*** me” in front of the live audience.

James reflected on their encounters in his memoir, noting, “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.”

The reality of their relationship dawned on James during a visit to Lily’s home. After announcing she was going to bed, Lily reportedly showed James to the guest bedroom and bid him goodnight. “Never have I felt such a douchebag,” he penned. “Who was I trying to kid? I remember lying in bed and realizing how badly I’d misread the signs. There was no me and Lily; it was all in my mind.”

Lily’s candid revelations on her podcast have certainly reignited interest in her past interactions with James Corden, offering a humorous and insightful glimpse into their dynamic.