WhenJames Corden was announced as Craig Ferguson's replacement on The Late Late Show in America, a few eyebrows were raised. Not because we thought James would be bad, but the only high-profile presenting experience he'd had was the Brit Awards and we still hadn't forgiven him for that ropey year with Mat Horne and Kylie Minogue.

Plus, the British public aren't always that great at bigging up their own. With James appearing everywhere from Into the Woods to A League of their Own to Gavin & Stacey, it's fair to say that a lot of us didn't give him the credit he deserved, despite him being one of the nicest blokes around. Just ask Tim Henman all about that one.

This month marks a year of James hosting The Late Late Show, so here are just a few ways in which he has proved such a big hit in the States:

1. He makes the most of his British mates

With Brits taking over the world in music, film, TV and beyond, it was a (perhaps accidental) astute move to hire a Londoner to make the most out of this ongoing invasion. James has not only roped in a rare appearance from Adele, but he's got the best out of One Direction, David Beckham, Simon Cowell and others in a way that Kimmel, Fallon and co wouldn't have done.

2. He can sing, and sing well

What to Read Next

While Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and others have done their fair share of singing on their respective shows, James is a bona fide Broadway star and Tony Award winner. He had a lead role in a Disney movie, too - even Adele hasn't done that. Yet. This brings a completely new element to the late night audience as he can perform alongside the best of them in skits like Carpool Karaoke and tense sing-offs with fellow musical stars. We can't picture Seth Meyers doing anything like that.

3. He can actually write comedy

All late night hosts can obviously write comedy, and James no doubt has a team behind him big enough for his own five-a-side league. But it certainly helps that he's proved himself in the writing department thanks to a successful sitcom and many Comic Relief skits. This means he's also bringing in a very British style of self-effacing comedy that provides something totally different to his rivals, who start to blend in with each other at times.

4. He has that 'everyman' quality

Even Jimmy Kimmel has gone from being your everyman mate to a chiseled chatshow host whose best bro is Ben Affleck. James hasn't desperately hit the treadmill after landing in the States, and neither should he. He's proved that not everyone has to be super ripped to shreds to be a TV host. The manner in which he takes the piss out of his body on a nightly basis makes it feel like you could go for a pint with him, or he'd at least give you a high-five in the street if you nervously asked.

5. He has harnessed the power of viral videos

The Late Late Show has always been the graveyard shift of the late night lineup, so ratings anything near to 1 million each night is a success story. Not only has James regularly done this, but he has made sure that his show has a life outside its original broadcast online.

It's common practice for late night to use YouTube, but James's show was the first to make the most of this tool from day one. Essentially, each segment of his show has clearly been devised to make sure it works as a standalone bitesize clip.

6. He brings out the good side of everyone

Justin Bieber's comeback tour, when he transformed himself from irritating brat to respected hit-making machine, was arguably helped when he appeared on Corden's Carpool Karaoke - and, for the first time in a long time, came across like a lovely young man. James even made Iggy Azalea seem like a girl you could bring home to meet your mum.