Katie Couric terrifies James Corden with April Fools’ prank on ‘The Late Late Show’

Do we have a winner for best TV prank on April Fools’ Day? It’s possible, after watching the new video of Katie Couric on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” Wednesday night.

First of all, we have to say that we feel for poor James here. We don’t like to do pranks unless it is completely obvious that it is fake. This prank is far more cruel than anything that we have ever considered doing to someone. Couric is introduced as Corden’s guest, and almost immediately she takes a massive stumble down the stairs. You can see the terror in Corden’s face, as he rushes over trying to figure out what happened to the journalism great. Seconds later, the real Katie appears at the top of stage proclaiming it to all be a prank. She did not lead him on for very long, but it certainly seems like it was long enough to make him genuinely terrified that he was not going to have a job anymore after working so hard to start the show.

To answer the first question, the show insisted in the comments for the video below that everyone other than James was in on the prank, which is why nobody was freaking out about it quite like he was. As for why this prank in particular, it is because James has had a fear of this happening to some poor woman coming down the stairs. It makes this show very different than the others in late-night, but also a little more dangerous at the same time.

The one thing that Corden should be happy about? This is the closest thing he’s had to a viral moment since the first night of his show.