High Wycombe born actor and television presenter James Corden will be awarded with an OBE by the Queen for his services to drama, it was announced today.

The 36-year-old, who grew up in Hazlemere, attended Jackie Palmer Stage School as a youngster and in years gone by he has thanked people from the town for their guidance, following success both in the UK and America.

He is now gearing up to accept his honour as part of the new year honours list as well as embarking on a new career as a chat show host in America.

His career started in the acclaimed stage performance - and later the film - of the History Boys and he became a household name in 2007 when Gavin and Stacey, the show he co-wrote and starred in, was aired.

He later went on to star in the production of One Man, Two Guvnors and he has now left England to being the next chapter of his career as the host of 'The Late Late Show'.

On a return to the town last year for the opening of the new Jackie Palmer studios he praised the school for everything they had given him.

In a speech, he said: “I used to love coming here; it was the single best part of my week. It was amazing to have this place and be with like minded people who were interested and passionate about the things I was passionate about.

"What the kids who come here will carry with them is a confidence that they can to go somewhere outside of school and feel like they might be good about something.

"This place means the world to me, I've been lucky as I've won a few things, I get in such a fluster when I do them - I always think ‘I must remember to thank Jackie Palmer’ and the most I can remember to do is just mention my wife.

"So, in front of you now, I want to say thank you for everything you've given me."

James still has family in High Wycombe and in the past he has spoken to the Bucks Free Press about his time in the town.

While touring with One Man, Two Guvnors he said: “I have such affection for it as a place. When I go back- you know what it is like when you go home.

“It feels like every inch of it holds a memory for me for me from when I worked in Bella Pasta which is now some weird sort of kebab type place to the Swan theatre- to doing productions there all the time- to snogging girls in that little pedestrianised walk way by McDonalds.

“I love it all. I mean it's kinda blissfully ordinary. Sometimes it could be painfully ordinary and it has a chair museum so what more could you want from a town.”