Friends reunion viewers complain about James Corden hosting: ‘Is there a way to watch w/o him?’

Comedian’s hosting stint has not been welcomed by fans who say he ‘puts you off watching it’

Friends: The Reunion finally aired this morning (27 May) and for the most part fans are thrilled to see it.

The long-awaited special is available to watch on HBO Max in the US, with UK viewers able to stream it on NOW.

Fans have tweeted their excitement after watching the reunion, with many commenting that it was “heartwarming” and “special”.

Viewers were quick to take issue with one aspect of the highly anticipated special, however: James Corden.

Earlier this month, the announcement that the talk show host would be hosting the Friends special was met with backlash from fans of the hit Nineties sitcom.

Upon the special’s release this morning (27 May), it seems Corden hasn’t managed to change their minds.

One user wrote: “Is there a way to watch that Friends reunion w/o James Corden?”

“Genuine question: What does James Corden have to do with Friends? Why is he hosting #FriendsReunion?” questioned another.

A third person wrote: “Can’t believe James Corden is the host for the Friends reunion. He’d put you off watching it,” while someone else added: “watching #FriendsReunion and my first question is out of everyone in the whole wide world, why is James Corden presenting?”

Another person commented: “When I watch the #FriendsReunion I know I’m gonna have to suffer through James Corden.”

“Friends: The Reunion has got me feeling all sorts of emotions* mainly nostalgia but also a strong dislike of James Corden,” wrote someone else.

Another user continued to criticise the presenter, writing: “Why does #jamescorden have to spoil everything?” Others concurred: “How do you turn off the James Corden audio track?”

“Watching the Friends reunion. Oh it’s hosted by James Corden… Sick of him ruining everything,” said someone else.

Besides the poor reception to the Gavin and Stacey star’s hosting stint, the special has been mostly received well by critics and fans. You can follow along with our live-blog for clips, images and the biggest talking points from the episode here.

You can read The Independent’s four-star review of the special here.