Friends reunion – as it happened: How to watch, reactions, best moments and all the latest on HBO Max special

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry reunited for the first time in front of TV cameras

HBO Max release trailer for Friends: The Reunion

The Friends reunion has finally been released. Could we be anymore excited?

The long-awaited programme debuted on 27 May on HBO Max in the US, with UK viewers able to stream it on NOW. The special, titled Friends: The Reunion, also aired on Sky One.

Originally announced in 2020, the special was extensively delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Taping took place in April on the original Friends soundstage at the Warner Bros Studio lot in Burbank, California.

The show, which was hosted by James Corden, marked the first time all six original stars – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry – reunited in front of television cameras.

A number of revelations were made during the episode including that David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston were “crushing” on each other during filming.

Mysteries were solved, such as the one surrounding the overhead beam in Monica’s apartment that suddenly disappears without explanation at some point in the series.

A host of guest stars joined in too, including a special duet performance of “Smelly Cat” by Lady Gaga and Kudrow. Reese Witherspoon, David Beckham, Justin Bieber, and BTS also made appearances, alongside Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Kit Harington, Mindy Kaling, and Malala Yousafzai.

Follow the release of the reunion special as it happened with our live blog:

[28 May 2021 18:21 · Clemence Michallon]

Friends executive producer/director Kevin Bright has reacted to concerns some fans expressed about Matthew Perry’s health:

[28 May 2021 18:29 · Clemence Michallon]

A classic Friends episode appears to have been wiped from David Schwimmer’s memory:

[28 May 2021 18:40 · Clemence Michallon]

One particular moment from the Friends finale – revisited in the reunion – has left fans especially emotional:

[28 May 2021 18:52 · Clemence Michallon]

Do you remember Rachel Green’s infamous trifle? Jennifer Aniston sure does now:

[28 May 2021 19:01 · Clemence Michallon]

Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer’s revelation that they had a major crush on each other at one point during filming has left fans reeling – and apparently it was already a hot topic on set back in the days:

[28 May 2021 19:12 · Clemence Michallon]

Lisa Kudrow shared this sweet selfie of herself with David Schwimmer around the time the Friends reunion aired:

[28 May 2021 19:25 · Clemence Michallon]

Here’s how a painful accident on the set of Friends led to a huddle ritual before each episode:

[28 May 2021 19:36 · Clemence Michallon]

Here are the most noteworthy reveals that took place during the reunion special:

[28 May 2021 19:47 · Clemence Michallon]

Do YOU remember what Chandler Bing did for a living?

[28 May 2021 19:57 · Clemence Michallon]

Friends is synonymous with New York City, but the sitcom was actually filmed far, far away from the Big Apple: