Matthew Perry said one Friends co-star 'reached out the most' during his struggle with addiction

Following the news of Matthew Perry's death last weekend, celebrities and royals have been sharing tributes to the Friends actor. The 54 year old, who played Chandler Bing in the sitcom for ten years, was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles on Saturday. 

His former co-stars, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox, released a statement on Monday sharing that they are 'devastated' by the news, writing: "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."

Before his death, Matthew Perry was open about his struggles with addiction and his path to sobriety, and in 2022 he spoke about the Friends co-star that supported him throughout his recovery. 

In an interview with ABC News’s Diane Sawyer in an October last year, he said that Jennifer Aniston was 'the one that reached out the most', saying: "You know, I’m really grateful to her for that."

He also added that she was the first of his co-stars to discuss his drinking, continuing: "Imagine how scary a moment that was... I should have been the toast of the town, but I was in a dark room meeting with nothing but drug dealers and completely alone."

In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew detailed his experience of addiction and expressed why he wanted to share his story in an interview on the Q with Tom Power podcast when he said: "The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says: 'I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?' I can say yes and follow up and do it."