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MATTHEW Perry’s five surviving Friends co-stars will not appear in a new Netflix documentary about the late actor, with the filmmaker behind the series confirming they were approached.

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer are all absent from The One About Matthew Perry, which arrives on Netflix on October 27.

The three-part series drops one day before the third anniversary of the star’s death.

Director Mary Robertson has now addressed their absence, saying the cast remain deeply affected by the loss of their longtime friend and co-star.

“We know the Friends cast loves Matthew and is grieving Matthew,” Robertson told The New York Times.

“We did approach them about participation. They decided not to participate.”

CONSTANT STRUGGLE

Matthew Perry’s close bond with sister & how she dealt with death of star

SISTER’S PAIN

Matthew Perry’s sister holds back tears as she breaks silence on his death

Robertson also told Page Six there were no hard feelings towards the stars, or Perry’s family members who declined to participate.

“I think everyone grieves in their own way. And I understand why someone might feel that this isn’t the moment to talk,” Robertson told the outlet.

A source also previously told Page Six that the stars did not want to publicly revisit their grief over Perry’s death, with Aniston said to have found the prospect particularly difficult.

“She isn’t going to sit down and start crying on camera. She doesn’t want to relive it and have it be so public,” the insider said.

Further reports suggested that feeling extended across the group rather than there being any objection to the documentary itself.

“It’s still too raw,” an insider told New Idea, which reported that Aniston and Kudrow were still struggling to discuss Perry without becoming emotional.

The source claimed LeBlanc and Schwimmer were also uncomfortable with appearing and said the stars wanted to honor Perry privately, on their own terms and in their own time.

However, the stars have all paid tribute to Matthew since his death and some have spoken about him in interviews.

Aniston told Vanity Fair of losing Perry, “As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”

Cox also wrote in an Instagram tribute after his death, “I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,” adding, “He was funny and he was kind.”

While none of Perry’s five main co-stars appear in the documentary, his younger sister Mia Perry Bowick does take part and speaks about her brother on camera for the first time.

Bowick offers several intimate insights into Perry’s relationships, his addiction troubles and his time on Friends, including how much the storyline between his character Chandler Bing and Courteney Cox’s Monica Geller meant to him.

She says her brother had sometimes felt that Schwimmer and Aniston’s Ross and Rachel received more of the spotlight on the beloved show.

Bowick says Perry was therefore thrilled when Chandler’s relationship with Monica developed, giving his character a major emotional storyline of his own to get his teeth into.

“He was not just silly Chandler anymore,” Bowick says in the documentary.

She explains that the romance allowed Perry to move beyond Chandler’s familiar comedy and demonstrate a more tender, romantic and vulnerable side of his acting.

Bowick says the family also understood how much Perry himself longed for the kind of love and family life that Chandler eventually found with Monica.

But her most poignant recollection of the Friends cast comes as she describes seeing them together at Perry’s private funeral.

Bowick says in the documentary that it was a small affair attended by family and close friends and that the five Friends stars entered together.

“I hadn’t seen them in easily 20 years,” Bowick recalls.

She says Aniston was the first of the group to approach her, giving her a huge hug, before the other cast members embraced her.

Bowick then watched as they all walked towards Perry’s casket holding hands and stood around their former co-star crying together.

Bowick also recalls an unexpected moment of laughter during the funeral as Perry was being moved into a mausoleum.

She says she suddenly felt as though her brother was standing behind her shoulder and could imagine him making a joke.

The thought caused her to start laughing during one of the most painful moments of the service, and she says it was the first time since his death that she had strongly felt her brother’s presence.

Robertson told Page Six that Bowick’s account of the funeral was both “wrenching and harrowing”, but said the unexpected laughter was also true to Perry’s personality.

The documentary also features Perry’s close friends and former NBC executive Warren Littlefield who recalled being in the room when Perry auditioned for Chandler.

Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. He was 54.

His death was ruled accidental, with the acute effects of ketamine listed as the primary cause and drowning among the contributing factors.

Rallies organised by the No Kings network opposed to United States President Donald Trump were held Saturday in cities and communities across the US, with an aim of getting people out to vote early in the midterm elections.

No Kings has more than 3,000 events planned across the US. The planned events, this time dubbed “No Kings: Vote Early”, were billed as nonpartisan, though they sought to build on nearly two years’ worth of No Kings marches and demonstrations by people upset with Trump’s presidency.

“It’s a day of nonpartisan voter participation: we are bringing our community together to make a plan to vote early and ensuring every eligible voter understands their options for how to vote and has the opportunity to make their voice heard,” organisers said in a statement.

By advocating for voting early, the “No Kings” organisers hope to cut off the potential for any malfeasance once election day rolls around.

A band entertained what appeared to be a few hundred people in caps and coats at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Despite the chilly weather, many in the crowd danced to the tunes. “VOTE EARLY” and “HANDS OFF MY VOTE!” were among the many signs held aloft.

At an Atlanta rally, City Councilman Michael Julian Bond told the crowd to urge others to vote ahead of the November 3 general election.

“The Constitution gives you one power, right? That is the power to vote. Are you gonna use that power?” he said.

“You don’t see Superman giving up his power,” Bond continued. “You don’t see Black Panther giving up his power. You don’t see Wonder Woman giving up her magic lasso. So why would you give up your right, your power, your obligation to vote? Be a superhero, use your power. Go to the polls and vote.”

Trump has long been suspicious of mail voting and has claimed without evidence that voting fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election.

His administration sued California election officials Thursday, asking a judge to bar the state from counting mail-in ballots for the midterm elections from people whom the federal government has identified as “likely” noncitizens until their immigration status can be confirmed.

On Friday, the Department of Justice warned that local officials who process and tabulate ballots submitted by suspected noncitizen voters are putting themselves at risk of criminal investigation and potential prosecution.

Earlier that day, Democratic Senators Alex Padilla of California, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Dick Durbin of Illinois wrote to Attorney General Todd Blanche, demanding that the Justice Department commit to not seizing ballots or other election materials before the midterm elections are certified.

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! will be back on screens from November 2026 and, as always, several huge names from the world of showbiz have been rumoured to be entering the jungle

It’s that time of year again when, in the build-up to Christmas, Ant and Dec’s reality TV juggernaut I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! dominates the nightly schedules.

From November, the Geordie duo will come live from Australia with a fresh batch of stars braving all that the outback has to offer in a bid to become the latest King or Queen of the Jungle. Over the years, the programme has bolstered the careers of TV favourites like ex-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona, Geordie Shore’s Vicky Pattison and former X Factor star Stacey Solomon.

Others to have worn the crown include Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, footballer Harry Redknapp and, last year, YouTuber Angryginge ended on top. There is almost always a soap star in the camp too, with Coronation Street legends like Beverley Callard and Sue Cleaver both having taken part.

Last year, Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle, just missed out on a place in the final. As the nation prepares for the 2026 series, The Mirror takes a look at the stars who could be heading into the jungle this time around…

Wayne Rooney

Two years ago Wayne’s wife Coleen entered the jungle, which came on the back of her infamous Wagatha Christie trial against Rebekah Vardy and saw her bag what was reported to be one of the highest paycheques in the history of the show,

Now the football legend himself could be about to sign up for I’m A Celeb. It was recently claimed that bosses had been in “negotiations with him for some time,” but on a recent appearance on This Morning, he simply said fans would “have to wait and see.”

In other words: he did not deny it!

AJ Odudu

AJ is currently fronting Big Brother with Will Best but, like her co-host, currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, she could also be about to become a contestant on one of the nation’s biggest reality shows.

A source said: “She’s had early conversations about taking part and has made it clear she can absolutely make the dates they need her to.”

Jesy Nelson

Best known as part of Little Mix, Jesy, 35, last year gave birth to their twin daughters Ocean and Story. both born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 1.

She successfully lobbied the government and joined forces with the Mirror to campaign to have all newborns tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) when her twin girls were diagnosed too late after irreversible nerve damage.

Speaking to The Sun, a source said: “Continuing to raise awareness around SMA for her girls is something Jesy is very keen to do, and she knows she can use a platform like I’m A Celebrity to reach millions.”

Ade Adepitan

Paralympian Ade, 53, could be the first star in a wheelchair to enter the jungle. A couple of months ago, it was reported that he could be about to head into the jungle, with show bosses working to ensure the camp is adapted to accommodate him.

Nadiya Bychkova

Along with Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, and Michelle Tsiakkas, Nadyia fell victim to the so-called Strictly Come Dancing bloodbath last year after serving as a professional for a number of series.

It was said at the time that TV offers had been “coming in thick and fast” for the star, and she had been “in talks” with show bosses for a turn in the I’m A Celeb jungle.

Olivia Attwood

Olivia Attwood has enjoyed quite the TV career since she shot to fame on Love Island in 2017. Over the last few years, she has become a Loose Women panellist and fronted a number of investigative documentaries for ITV2.

She first entered the jungle in 2022 but had to withdraw on medical grounds after just 24 hours. She has previously said she would be open to the idea of a return if she could fit it into her pack schedule.

Su-Elise Nash

Su-Elise could be about to become the second member of Mis-Teeq to enter the jungle, after her bandmate Sabrina Washington competed in 2009 and has apparently been in early talks with I’m A Celeb bosses, especially after the Scandalous hitmakers reunited at Capital Summertime Ball.

Ricky Wilson

Ricky Wilson is known for huge hits like Ruby and I Predict a Riot as part of the Kaiser Chiefs. The Sun previously reported that he had “always politely declined” the jungle before, but could now have changed his mind.

Ben Stokes

Legendary cricketer Ben announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year, and could just be about to head into the I’m A Celeb jungle a matter of months later. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Ben Stokes could soon be swapping cricket for crickets, if the latest odds are anything to go by.”

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