When is the Friends reunion? Time, date and everything you need to know about HBO Max special

The much-anticipated special is finally airing after being delayed by the coronavirus pandemic

After many delays, the Friends reunion is finally airing.

HBO Max originally announced the programme in February 2020, but it had to be postponed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic, which made an in-person reunion impossible.

The special marks the first time Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Lisa Kudrow have reunited in front of TV cameras since Friends ended in 2004.

Here is everything you need to know about Friends: The Reunion:

When is the special airing?

In the US, the reunion special is available to stream as of Thursday (27 May) on HBO Max. A TV broadcast isn’t currently scheduled in the US.

In the UK, viewers are able to stream the special on NOQW. It will also air tonight (27 May) on Sky One at 8pm BST.

When was the special filmed?

On 11 April, the official, verified account for Friends shared an image of a screen – presumably from the set – bearing the words: “Friends – the reunion”.

The accompanying caption reads: “That’s a wrap! Could we BE anymore excited!? Friends: The Reunion is coming to @hbomax.”

Prior to that, another clue came when, according to Deadline, Perry shared a photo of himself in a make-up chair before “reuniting with my Friends”. The post has since been taken down, but screenshots have been circulating.

Schwimmer had also announced earlier in April that he was flying to Los Angeles to film the reunion special.

What does the special look like?

Friends: The Reunion is unscripted, meaning the actors aren’t be in character. Instead, they sat together and discussed the show and their memories of it as themselves.

The special was filmed on the sitcom’s original soundstage on the Warner Bros Studio lot in Burbank, California.

The programme also features a host of guest stars, some of whom appeared on the show during its original run. Lady Gaga, David Beckham, James Corden, and many more are set to join the reunion. For a full list of guest stars on the special, click here.

Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, and David Schwimmer (Getty Images)

Why is there so much excitement about the reunion special?

Two reasons: one, the HBO Max special marks the first reunion featuring all six main cast members. There was a reunion in 2016 without Perry, and the reviews were mixed. Expectations are higher than ever this time around.

Two, the Friends reunion special was one of the biggest TV programmes delayed by the pandemic – think No Time to Die, but for the television world. Producers chose not to film it via Zoom and held out for the real thing instead. Needless to say, fans are more than ready to dive in.