Channel 4, E4 to stop showing 'Friends'

[Perdita]

Channel 4 has ended its deal with Warner Bros for the rights to air US comedy Friends.

The broadcaster has shown the series, which starred Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox and Matt Le Blanc, for 15 years. The station's contract with Warners ends in 2011.

Comedy Central has picked up the rights to the NBC series, according to Broadcast.

Friends ran for ten series between 1994 and 2004, with the final episode drawing 8.6 million viewers in the UK. It has remained a daily staple on both Channel 4 and E4, with average viewing figures of around 400,000.

Head of Channel 4 acquisitions Gill Hay said: "After 15 years, ten hit series and 236 terrific episodes it's time to say goodbye to old Friends and welcome new ones, in the form of more comedy, drama and entertainment from the US and UK.

"We are incredibly proud to have been the home of Friends for so long, but at a point when the channel is undergoing a period of creative renewal it felt like the right time to part company."

Friends is the latest big show to finish airing on Channel 4, following the axing of Big Brother, Wife Swap and How Clean Is Your House?. The station has claimed that the decisions will allow them to "refresh the schedule".

DS

[Abbie]

omg!

I mean whar will I do without my friends fix

[Siobhan]

omg!

I mean whar will I do without my friends fix

I know what you mean.. it was like church.. you could always guarantee Friends week nights at 8 on E4 if nothing else was on TV

[tammyy2j]

I watch them over and over and still laugh

[Abbie]

Exactly I mean I dont know what Im going to do

I wonder whether they will announce the last time they start to replay the whole 1st series to last

[CrazyLea]

I watch them on dvd now. But still like Siobhan said, if there is nothing else on, then I'll watch it on tv . Will be a shame .

[Bryan]

about bloody time, maybe another old show will get the chance for a repeat showing now! the dvds are dirt cheap if people wanna watch it that much

[Chris_2k11]

Time to start repeating Brookie !

[Abbie]

NOOOOO

E4 wont be the same again

[Siobhan]

about bloody time, maybe another old show will get the chance for a repeat showing now! the dvds are dirt cheap if people wanna watch it that much

I have all 10 seasons but still watch it on TV... it just won't be the same.. maybe they can show Scrubs at that time!!