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:

[27 May 2021 02:01 · Clemence Michallon]

David Schwimmer recently opened up about how the Friends cast supported each other after the show ended.

“I think over the years we’ve all struggled with different obstacles and challenges, and I think in those times it’s been nice to be able to reach out and touch base and have a call,” he said in a promotional interview.

Read more about his remarks in the story below:

[27 May 2021 03:07 · Lucy Gray]

We’re all very excited to see the original cast of six reunite for the anticipated special, but we can’t help but wonder: what ever happened to Marcel?

[27 May 2021 04:09 · Lucy Gray]

Matthew Perry has claimed that there was a ‘no hook-up’ policy in place for the Friends cast during their ten seasons on air – but not all of the cast agree.

Read the full story here:

[27 May 2021 05:06 · Lucy Gray]

Friends: The Reunion comes 17 years after the final episode of the long-running sitcom. So as we take this trip down nostalgia lane, why did Friends end after 10 seasons?

[27 May 2021 07:06 · Annabel Nugent]

Today’s the day! We’re just one hour away from finally being able to see the gang reunited on screen. In case you need a reminder, here’s how viewers in the UK and US can tune in.

[27 May 2021 07:16 · Annabel Nugent]

Whether you’re watching the special or not, here you can find all the talking points, videos, photos and reactions to the episode all in one place.

[27 May 2021 07:26 · Annabel Nugent]

Although excitement for the special has been huge, fans were initially disappointed to learn that Friends: The Reunion is unscripted, with actors not appearing in character. David Schwimmer explained why a proper, scripted reunion was never on the cards.

[27 May 2021 07:36 · Annabel Nugent]

We’re only 25 minutes away from being able to stream the Friends reunion. Why not dive into this feature on the hit sitcom’s enduring appeal to help set the mood?

[27 May 2021 07:46 · Annabel Nugent]

With such high hopes surrounding its release, Friends: The Reunion could fall flat in comparison – but The Independent ‘s Adam White reassures viewers that it is “for the most part a total joy”.

For a spoiler-free preview of the episode, read his four-star review below.

[27 May 2021 07:50 · Annabel Nugent]

It’s been 17 years since the last episode of Friends aired... and we still don’t know what Chandler’s job was. Analyst something? Or was it finance? We’ve cleared up the mystery.