Friends reunion premiere date announced, along with special guests

The Friends reunion is nearly here

Yes, you heard that right simply titled, Friends: The Reunion, the long-awaited return of Central Perk's most regular customers and some of the most familiar faces on television for almost 30 years is just around the corner. We first heard about the Friends reunion being filmed back in March, when David Schwimmer revealed the news on a number of TV and radio shows. Now though, not only do we have an official date - May 27th - but we even got to see a short trailer, as HBO Max teased us with "The One Where They Get Back Together": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MedRN92V6lE

The teaser itself doesn't reveal much, it doesn't have to: even just hearing that soft version of the iconic theme song by The Rembrandts is enough to send tingles down your spine. Friends is arguably the biggest sitcom of the 90s and all-time, even, with its final season airing in 2004. Yet it never seems to have gone off screens whatsoever, being syndicated heavily on the likes of Comedy Central and Channel 4 for decades, before arriving on Netflix where it will continue to be immortalised by a new generation.

It seems hard to think that there is any era that hasn't been touched by the 10-series show, as it simply feels like it's been around forever and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't recognise those six faces.

Speaking of which, all the original cast - Matthew Perry (Chandler), Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courteney Cox (Monica), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Matt LeBlanc (Joey) and Schwimmer (Ross) - will be returning in the hour-long unscripted special. While it is not a new episode or series - simply a reunion where our favourite group of friends will look back on the show and reflect on its part in TV history - the HBO production will come with some added bonuses. In addition to the main ensemble itself, it has been revealed that supporting cast members including Maggie Wheeler (Janice), James Michael Tyler (Gunther), Reese Witherspoon (Jill) and Tom Selleck (Richard), as well as Elliott Gould and Christina Pickles, who played Ross and Monica's parents, Jack and Judy, will all be returning. There will also be a number of celebrity guests, the likes of which you would have never guessed: David Beckham, Lady Gaga, BTS, Cara Delevingne, Mindy Kaling, James Corden, Malala Yousafzai and Justin Bieber, just to name a few. Their connection to the show is no different than our own: they were simply fans like the rest of us and it remains to be seen what part they will play in the much-anticipated event. It feels like we've been waiting forever for this and whether you're a true stan for the show or not, you can't ignore the love fans have for it nor the gravity of the reunion itself. While it remains to be seen how and when it will be made available in the UK, it's sure to be one of the biggest moments in TV history.