It has been over a quarter of a century since the first episode of Friends aired on UK screens.
But if you thought many of the show’s plots were far-fetched, they have nothing on some of the stuff that has happened to the cast IRL since the cameras stopped rolling...
In the most you-couldn’t-make-it-up story of 2018, David Schwimmer responded to reports he may have been behind the mystery theft of a crate of beer in a style worthy of the legendary sitcom that made him a household name.
A police appeal for the theft in Blackpool quickly went viral after social media users pointed out that the man on the run drew an uncanny resemblance to Ross Geller from Friends.
Cue the man himself (Schwimmer, not the thief who was eventually caught) responding – by recreating the security cam footage originally released by the police.
Even the force got in on the fun, later commenting: “We have investigated this matter thoroughly and have confirmed that David Schwimmer was in America on this date. We’re so sorry it had to be this way.”
Who needs the Cheeky Girls when we’ve got Taylor and Phoebe duetting on one of the worst songs of all time?
It all went a bit meta in 2015, when Lisa Kudrow joined Taylor on stage at her sold-out concert at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, where they performed Smelly Cat in front of 21,000 amused/bemused/confused (delete as applicable) fans.
Altogether now… Smelly cat, smelly Cat, What are they feeding you?
Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox had a terrifying experience when a private jet they were both passengers on was forced to make an emergency landing after losing a tyre during take off.
The actresses were on their way to Mexico to celebrate Jennifer’s 50th birthday when the plane got into trouble.
Courteney later revealed she sent texts to her 14-year-old daughter Coco and boyfriend Johnny McDaid while still in the air.
She said: “I sent a little text to Coco, ‘I love you.’ I didn’t say why, and to Johnny. I told him everything that was going on and I FaceTimed him after.”
After circling for four hours to burn off fuel, the troubled jet eventually made an emergency landing in Ontario, California.
Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke was all of us when she shared a couch with Matt LeBlanc on The Graham Norton Show in 2016.
Looking more than a little starstruck, the actress admitted she was obsessed with the Friends star.
“I just think you’re wicked,” she told him. She then asked: “Would you be able to ask me how I’m doing?”
How could he refuse?
Back in 2017, Lisa Kudrow, revealed an anecdote from back in the day that (a) was totally unpleasant and (b) got everyone guessing.
The actor told US chat show host Andy Cohen that she was on the receiving end of a jaw-dropping, misogynistic comment from one of the show’s undisclosed guest stars.
“I rehearsed without makeup most of the week and then on show night I’m in hair and makeup and I was told, ‘Oh wow, NOW you’re’ – can I say it? ‘Now you’re fuckable’.” Yep, that actually happened.
Thanks to Mashable, we now know exactly what it would look like if the cast of Friends were replaced with adorable little hamsters. And why the devil not?
Mashing up two of the most popular shows of all time was a stroke of genius. Or simply ridiculous. But probably both.
Still, you can’t resist pressing play, can you?
Speaking of Game Of Thrones, Sophie Turner reflected on her days as a single woman, revealing one particularly embarrassing attempt to flirt with none other than Matthew Perry when he was rehearsing his play near her London home back in 2016.
Sophie later explained: “I would walk around the corner every day and I would see Matthew Perry smoking a cigarette and I bought a lighter from Budgens so that I could walk up to him and offer to light his cigarette.”
But Sophie’s downfall came when she finally approached Matthew, only to find that his cigarette was already lit. “That was just embarrassing,” she said. “I thought he might see this tweet and then, I don’t know, reach out to me, and ask me on a date or something but he didn’t.”
Well, we’ve all been there, right? Just not with a former member of the Friends cast.