Matthew Perry 'rushed to hospital' after suffering ruptured bowel

Representative for the actor said he was 'grateful for the concern'

Friends star Matthew Perry has undergone surgery after suffering a ruptured bowel, according to reports.

A representative for the actor said that he was taken to an LA hospital to repair the perforation.

"He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals," the spokesperson told TMZ.

Perry become one of the most recognisable faces in the world after being cast as one of the six stars of the classic 90s sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.

Perry has been a vocal advocate of addiction recovery after struggling with alcohol abuse himself during his time on the show, admitting he has little memory of shooting three seasons.

In 1997 and 2001 he completed time in rehab to recover from his use of Vicodin, methadone, amphetamines and alcohol. In 2013 he told ABC News: "Mostly it was drinking, you know, and opiates. I think I was pretty good at hiding it, but eventually people were aware. I honestly recoil. It's scary to look at that. I was a sick guy."

Perry debuted his dark comedy play The End of Longing in 2016 in London's West End, at the Playhouse Theatre, and later transferred it to the Lucille Lortel Theatre in Manhattan last year.

The Independent has contacted Perry's representative for comment.