What happened to Matthew Perry? Why Friends star who played Chandler Bing slurred speech in reunion episode

Matthew Perry’s appearance in the Friends reunion has raised some eyebrows among his fans.

The actor, famous for his role as Chandler Bing on the iconic sitcom, appeared to slur his words and had a gazing stare in the the eagerly anticipated special.

What happened to Matthew Perry?

Perry appeared alongside his former co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc, as they returned to the set of the sitcom after 18 years.

The video teased the upcoming reunion, showing the cast reminiscing about their time on the show, taking part in a table read of iconic scenes and a live audience interview with James Cordon.

The trailer also showed several cast mates, including Courtney Cox and Perry, getting emotional. Perry could be seen choking up, saying “Yep, I’m gonna cry now.”

Aniston can be seen placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

The video showed the cast getting emotional when they sat in Monica and Rachel’s living room, answering a question regarding taking souvenirs from the set.

Fans grew concerned after Perry answered the question, but seemed to slur his words.

"I stole the cookie jar that had the clock on it,” he said, but pronounced "stole" with a distinct “sh” sound at the beginning

Some on social media commented it was heartbreaking.

On YouTube, one fan wrote: "I know we are all sad about Matthew but let's remember he has suffered a lot of health related issues and he has struggled with addiction.

"Let's all be kind and polite and remember all the funny moments he gave us through his role as Chandler, thank you."

Matthew Perry has been open about his past drug use. In an interview with People magazine he said things got "out of control and very unhealthy" after a 1997 jet-ski accident left him addicted to the painkiller, Vicodin.

In a 2016 interview with Radio 2, Matthew confessed that he didn't remember three years of the show and said he "was a little out of it."

The actor attended rehab twice during his run on Friends. He has since opened his own rehabilitation centre for alcoholics.

Did Matthew Perry have a stroke?

In 2016 may fans also began to ask if Matthew Perry had had a stroke. After a 2016 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, fans suggested his mouth looked a little droopy one side, and his speech was much slower and stilted.

At the time of writing, Matthew Perry has not made any public statements about whether or not he has suffered a stroke in the past.

Why did Matthew Perry and Molly Hurwitz break up?

On Tuesday 2 June Matthew Perry revealed that his engagement with Molly Hurwitz was called off.

The actor, 51, has been dating literary manager Molly Hurwitz, 29, since 2018, and proposed in November 2020.

In a statement released to People Magazine, Perry said: “Sometimes things just don't work out, and this is one of them. I wish Molly the best.”

At the time, the actor told People: "I decided to get engaged. Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time."

How to watch the Friends reunion?

The reunion will air in the US on HBO Max net Thursday 27 May.

There is currently no official word on when Friends fans can watch the special in the UK.

However, it’s been reported that Sky is the frontrunner to pick up broadcasting rights.