Friends cast are ‘working on a joint statement’ to release after beloved co-star Matthew Perry’s sudden death

The cast of Friends are said to be ‘working on a joint statement’ to release in the wake of the sudden death of their beloved co-star Matthew Perry at the age of 54.

Perry played the role of Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom, alongside Jennifer Aniston as Rachel, Courteney Cox as Monica, Matt LeBlanc as Joey, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe and David Schwimmer as Ross.

Friends, which followed the lives of six friends in their twenties living in New York, was a huge success around the world when it aired between 1994 and 2004, and reruns are still hugely popular years later.

The main stars have yet to break their silence on the death of their close friend – and are said to be ‘rocking’ after Perry’s sudden passing.

Showbiz correspondent Kinsey Schofield told it GB News Monday morning that the stars will release a joint statement in the coming days.

Loved: Matthew Perry played the sarcastic and hilarious Chandler Bing in the ’90s sitcom

She told the channel: “New information is that the core cast of Friends is currently working on a joint statement to release.

“According to sources, they are reeling over the death of Matthew Perry, saying he was their brother and that they fiercely protected him during some of his toughest times.

“They believe this is incredibly unfair, according to one of Lisa Kudrow’s friends, and no one saw this coming because they felt like he was in a really good place and having one of his best years.”

Speaking to Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster, she continued: “He was so quick-witted, the sarcasm was just so brilliant and he was handsome.

“But I do think he helped people who were at home with mental health issues and he was such an escape for them and he was the soul of that show.

She added: ‘The reality is that this is a man who has had 14 operations for his addiction problems and there may have been consequences for his body.

“But at this point, we believe he was in a good place, challenged his body by playing pickleball for two hours, and was in a good place mentally and physically, or at least trying to be.”

The speculation follows a source citation Page six that the cast is ‘reeling’ over the loss of their ‘brother’ Matthew.

“The cast is reeling from the loss of their brother, because that was Matty – their brother,” an industry source told the news station on Sunday, adding, “It’s just devastating.”

It comes after the makers of Friends paid a touching tribute to Matthew following his unexpected death.

Source: Showbiz correspondent Kinsey Schofield told GB News that the cast are ‘reeling’ over the news

Tribute: Co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and director Kevin Bright released a joint statement on Saturday following the sitcom star’s suspected drowning. (Image: Kauffman, Crane and Bright with the cast of Friends in 2000)

Tragic: Mourners lay floral tributes to Perry outside the New York apartment building used as an exterior shot in Friends

Co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and director Kevin Bright issued a joint statement on Saturday following the sitcom star’s suspected drowning.

They remembered Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the hugely popular series, for his “blinding intelligence” and always being “the funniest person in the room.”

“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved friend Matthew,” they said in a statement Deadline. “It still seems impossible.”

“All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him in our lives.

‘He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliché to say that an actor makes a role his own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no better words.

“From the day we first heard him play the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us.

“We will always cherish the joy, light and dazzling intelligence he brought in every moment – ​​not only to his work, but to life.

“He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.

Playing on the famous episode titles in Friends, they added: “We send all our love to his family and friends. This is truly the one where our hearts are broken.”

Kauffman, Crane and Bright reunited with Perry and his co-stars for the 2021 reunion special, for which they all shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-taped).

Sad: Tributes have been paid to Friends star Matthew Perry after he was found dead yesterday

Last appearance: Perry passed away at the age of 54 (pictured earlier this week, the last time he was seen in public) at his home in LA

Location: Aerial photos show Perry’s pool and hot tub where he was reportedly found dead

Perry won a worldwide fan base for his role, making him a Emmy nomination in 2002 – but behind the glitz and glamor he secretly battled substance abuse for decades.

The historically troubled star was found dead in his hot tub on Saturday afternoon after allegedly drowning LA County Coroner Office currently lists the case status of the actor’s death as ‘open’. An autopsy is planned.

Late Saturday night, Perry’s body was placed in a coroner’s van from the front door of his LA home.

Staff from the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office loaded Perry’s body into the van before closing the doors and driving away.

Perry is believed to have drowned hours after a game of pickleball, and in an edited recording of the dispatch audio, a man can be heard saying “rescue 23” and “drowning.”

A law enforcement mole told TMZ that investigators discovered antidepressants and prescription anti-anxiety drugs in Perry’s luxury home, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean, but no illegal drugs were found inside.

The actor, known for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends, was also in possession of a prescription COPD medication.

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with the medications found in Perry’s home usually being used for people with emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

Star: Perry rose to fame for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit ’90s sitcom Friends, which ran for ten seasons

Perry was a smoker and also struggled with addiction alcohol as well as opiates, but claimed to have been clean shortly before his suspected drowning.

The new revelations came after it was reported that EMTs were called to the Friends star’s home for a “water emergency” and arrived to discover the actor had drowned, it is claimed.

Police sources told NBC News and CNN that they initially thought they were attending a possible “water rescue” at the prankster’s home in the Pacific Palisades after receiving a call at 4:07 PM PST on Saturday.

They arrived to find the 54-year-old dead from an apparent drowning in his hot tub, with the LA times reporting that Perry was “unresponsive.”

Officers from the LA Police Department The Robbery-Homicide Unit was also dispatched to the Pacific Palisades home, but a source said no drugs or signs of foul play were found at the scene.