Matthew Perry: Friends cast including Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox release joint statement on co-star's death

The main cast of the 1990s sitcom 'Friends' have broken their silence following the death of their co-star Matthew Perry.

Perry, 54, died at his Los Angeles home on 28 October in an apparent drowning accident. His autopsy, however, was inconclusive and is still under investigation. Family, friends and fans across the world have been mourning the loss of the star, who famously appeared as Chandler Bing in the hugely successful and influential sitcom.

His former co-stars - David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LaBlanc - have released a joint statement discussing his death for the first time. The cast said that they were "utterly devastated" by Perry's passing.

The statement said: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. 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.”

Perry appeared on the show alongside his co-stars from 1994 until 2004 for a total of 10 seasons. Friends became a worldwide hit and its cultural legacy still endures until this day. Perry's portrayal as the sarcastic and witty Chandler Bing brought him wide acclaim. Perry and his co-stars would go on to win the 1996 Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

The show's creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, paid tribute to Perry yesterday (30 October). In a statement, the pair said: "We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives.”

The statement continued: “He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words,” the trio continued. “From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us. We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.

"We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken."