The Friends reunion is already falling apart. After NBC announced Wednesday that all six cast members from the popular show would be reuniting on Feb. 21 during a tribute to director James Burrows, a representative for Matthew Perry said Thursday that he won’t appear in person.
“Matthew will not be attending as he is in London in rehearsals for his play, The End of Longing, which begins previews on Feb. 2 at the playhouse Theatre. NBC executives were aware of this prior to their TCA announcement yesterday,” Lisa Kasteler wrote in an email to reporters. “Matthew may tape something for the tribute. In other words, this is not the reunion people have been hoping for.”
NBC head Bob Greenblatt was cautious in his original announcement about the special, noting that all of the actors might not be in the same room. “I’m not sure we can logistically pull that off,” he said.
Friends fans have been lobbying to reunite all six cast members—Perry, along with Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer—since the show’s record-breaking finale 12 years ago.
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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com