Friends cast set to reunite for unscripted special episode

21 February 2020, 22:46 | Updated: 21 February 2020, 23:04

The Friends cast are set to reunite for an unscripted special of the programme, the first since 2004.

The show will air on HBO Max, according to the streaming service.

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer are all set to appear in the programme.

The news comes after the show finished in an emotional final episode in 2004, and will celebrate the programme's 25th anniversary.

Friends, which ran for 10 series and racked up 236 episodes, is one of the best loved sitcoms of all time.

Jennifer Cox posted a photo of the cast on her Instagram with the caption: "It's happening..."

She also tagged her five co-stars, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, who will all appear in the show.

Matthew Perry posted a similar message on his Twitter on February 5, leaving fans wondering if a reunion was on the cards.

The comedy, which is set in New York, followed a group of young friends living in Manhattan as they try to navigate life as young adults.

The last episode of the show was broadcast in 2004 and ended with a shot of the cast all leaving the keys to their apartment on the kitchen counter before heading out for a goodbye coffee with each other.

Kevin Reilly, chief content officer of HBO Max, said: "Guess you could call this the one where they all got back together - we are reuniting with David, Jennifer, Courteney, Matt, Lisa and Matthew for an HBO Max special that will be programmed alongside the entire Friends Library.

"I became aware of Friends when it was in the very early stages of development and then had the opportunity to work on the series many years later and have delighted in seeing it catch on with viewers generation after generation.

"It taps into an era when friends - and audiences - gathered together in real time and we think this reunion special will capture that spirit, uniting original and new fans."

Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, Perry, and Schwimmer will also executive produce the special.

The news was met with joy from fans who have been waiting 16 years for a new episode.

One user wrote: "I just opened Instagram to the best news FRIENDS IS BACK!!!"

"I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME. WE ARE GETTING A FRIENDS REUNION. THIS IS NOT A DRILL" said another.

Referencing the show's iconic episode titles, an ecstatic fan wrote: "THE ONE WHEN THEY ARE MAKING A REUNION SPECIAL!!!!!"

"I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR YEARS NOW AND THEY’RE FINALLY DOING THE REUNION. I AM BEYOND HAPPY!! THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS 2020", a fan wrote on Twitter.

Another simply reacted: "I am the happiest person in the world!!!"

The series was the second most watched show on Netflix in 2018.

The announcement comes amid speculation that there will also be a one hour reunion special hosted be Ellen DeGeneres.