It has also transformed the show's close-knit cast of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox Arquette, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer into global celebrities.

BBC: NEWS | Entertainment | Secrecy surrounds Friends finale

It had been rumoured that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer were planning to leave after the ninth series.

BBC: Friends back for 10th series

Before the crash, she was cheating on him with a real-estate agent named Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard), and, though Matt confronts her in the hospital, ranting vainly at her motionless form, what he really yearns to do is meet Brian, face to face.

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