Washington [US]: The much-awaited 'Friends' reunion might have given their fans a reason to rejoice after dropping the first trailer from the show, but on the other hand, it has been suffering from a major case of a buzzkill after revealing that 'The Late Late Show' host James Corden will be hosting the sitcom. The news that 'The Late Late Show' host will be hosting the 'Friends' special on HBO later this month has left many on social media displeased mostly because he has no known connection to the popular sitcom, as per TMZ. The fans of the show are pointing out notable celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon and Bruce Willis who had played cameos on the show and would be more appropriate to host it but the producers chose Corden who has no connection at all with the sitcom. Another issue that is making fans worry about the show, is their favourite Matthew Perry's health. Matthew who played the role of Chandler in the sitcom appeared to be unwell during a recent interview promoting the upcoming special, according to TMZ. In a promotional video, he was seen sitting with Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, where some fans felt Perry sounded like he was slurring his speech, and appeared to be gazing off into the distance at times. On a related note, Matthew has always been open about his struggles with addiction in the past. Earlier, the reunion special was delayed multiple times due to the production shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally set to film in February 2020 but was only able to begin filming in April. The special marks the star's return to the iconic comedy's original soundstage, Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank for a celebration. It will also feature guest stars including David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. Ben Winston has directed the special and executive produced it along with 'Friends' executive producers Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane. The special hails from Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, Fulwell 73 Productions and Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions. Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, Perry, and Schwimmer also executive produce. Emma Conway, James Longman and Stacey Thomas-Muir co-executive produce. All 10 seasons of 'Friends' left Netflix and joined HBO Max in a deal that is rumoured to have cost Warner Media over USD 400 million for the rights to the original series. The reunion special will air from May 27, 2021, on HBO Max.
