Friends Reunion: The One with Lady Gaga, BTS, Justin Bieber and David Beckham

For the first time in 17 years, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer gathered in the same room for the highly anticipated Friends: The Reunion.

A look back at the sitcom that ran from 1994 to 2004, the unscripted reunion show saw host James Cordon guide the famous six through a nostalgia-laced journey of memories, bloopers, outtakes and more.

But the HBO Max special didn't only reunite Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, Monica, Rachel and Ross; the original cast were joined by a host of famous faces.

Ross (David Schwimmer) recreats a quiz game in the same format as the one that saw Rachel and Monica lose their apartment in season 4 of 'Friends'. Courtesy HBO Max

Elliott Gould and Christina Pickles, who played Ross and Monica's parents on the show, were seated in the socially distanced audience, and Central Perk's coffee shop manager Gunther, played by James Michael Tyler, joined via a live video link.

Actor Tom Selleck – Monica's boyfriend Richard in the second season of the sitcom - joined the cast on a recreation of the original Friends set to ask a question in Ross's (Shwimmer's) quiz show. A barbershop quartet that Ross originally hired in the show stopped by to remind Rachel, again, that it's nice to have a boyfriend. Larry Hankin, the now 80-year-old actor who played Monica's neighbour Mr. Heckles, also popped in, grumpy as ever.

Maggie Wheeler – Chandler's loud-talking ex-girlfiend Janice – joined the cast and Cordon in the studio and Joey successfully picked out his hand-twin, aka Thomas Lennon, from season five. And it wasn't only former cast members who got involved.

A host of new celebrity faces joined in, either in-person at the Warner Bros Studio lot in Burbank or via pre-recorded video messages. Here's who made an appearance...

Lady Gaga

Joining Lisa Kudrow on the couch for a rendition of Phoebe's Smelly Cat ballad, Lady Gaga added her throaty vocals and guitar strumming skills to Kudrow's most famous song. A six-piece choir also joined the ladies for a new rendition of the song made famous in the sitcom. The popstress went on to thank Lisa for being the "different one, or the one that was really herself", to which Kudrow responded, "thank you and thanks for carrying it along".

Justin Bieber

Despacito singer Justin Bieber appeared as a model in the HBO studio, taking to the runway in the 'Spudnik' costume from Season 8 of Friends.

Originally worn by Ross, Schwimmer told the audience that he'd been embarrassed to wear the costume as it was in the same episode that starred Sean Penn.

“We get the script and, of course, I realise, ‘Oh, I’m a potato’,” said Schwimmer. "I had very little – if any – dialogue with him, but here I’m thinking, ‘Greatest actor in the world, and I’m a potato’.” Bieber didn't seem to share the same embarrasment and was in good spirits, strutting along the catwalk and pulling faces to the camera.

Cara Delevingne

Supermodel turned actor Cara Delevingne also starred in the reunion fashion show, modelling not one but two costumes from the sitcom. First, she strutted out in the pink bridesmaid dress worn by Jennifer Anniston in Season 2 at the wedding of Rachel's ex-fiance Barry. The British star then rejoined the catwalk in perhaps the most famous Friends costume of all, Schwimmer's Holiday Armadillo.

Delevingne said on social media that she grew up watching the show and felt lucky to be included. "Could I BE any more excited? Being a part of the Friends reunion was truly a dream come true … Plus, I got to be the HOLIDAY ARMADILLO,” wrote the model.

Cindy Crawford

There was no shortage of supermodels in attendance for the sitcom reunion, with 51-year-old Cindy Crawford also taking to the runway. Once America's most celebrated fashion model, Crawford recreated one of Ross Geller's most embarrasing fashion moments in Friends by wearing the tight black leather pants Schwimmer wore in Season 5. Crawford paired the pants with a silk button-down shirt similar to the one Ross wore in the original episode, but pulled off the look a whole lot more easily than the hapless palaeontologist.

BTS

Fresh from clocking up five new Guinness World Record's for their latest smash hit Butter, K-Pop kings BTS also appeared on the Friends Reunion. All seven members of the world's biggest boy band crowded on a sofa and RM, who was born in the same year that Friends launced, revealed that the show played a big role in teaching him English.

Reese Witherspoon

This is a bit of a cheat listing, as Reese Witherspoon actually starred in The One with Rachel's sister, playing Jill Green. But the Hollywood star also made a video appearance on the Friends Reunion.

The Legally Blonde star told viewers that she felt like she had won the lottery when she got invited on the show. Witherspoon also gushed over Joey's (LeBlanc) reaction to her appearance in the show.

"The most exciting part was that I got to be in a scene where I'm in the apartment and Joey walks in and he goes 'Hey, how you doin'?'." The line was Joey Joey Tribbiani's catchphrase, which he used whenever he wanted to start chatting to women.

Mindy Kaling

Comedy actor Mindy Kaling appeared via a pre-recorded video to share her love of the original Friends sitcom. The Mindy Project star spoke of her memories of watching the show, revealing that The One With All The Kissing was one of her favourite episodes. Aired in 1998 during Season 5, the episode was one of the first to document Monica and Chandler's blossoming relationship after their trip to London. On Twitter, Kaling sarcastically commented about her idea to film the message for the show while heavily pregnant and using her mobile phone.

Kit Harrington

Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington appeared on the show with a video message in which he claimed to be part of the Geller family. The Jon Snow actor in the fantasy drama series said in a pre-recorded video that he felt he could easily be part of the Geller clan because he is as neurotic as Monica (Cox), and wears tight trousers like Ross (Schwimmer).

David Beckham

David Beckham, one of the world's most famous footballers, had a cameo video appearance on Friends: The Reunion. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan star said that he travels a lot and watches Friends when he had downtime away from the family.

Beckham, who is married to former Spice Girl Victoria, said his favourite episode was The One Where No One's Ready. Marta Kauffman, co-creator of the sitcom, then revealed that this episode was filmed in real-time and ended up with LeBlanc dislocating his shoulder as Joey and Chandler fought over a chair in Monica and Rachel's living room. It's also the episode where Joey puts on all of Chandler's clothes at once, a moment that the 53-year-old actor recreated as part of Friends: The Reunion.

Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.

Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.

The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

Hometown: Dubai

City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala

Q&A: Quarantine rules limit travellers landing in the UK

Minister quits over Cummings scandal as Boris Johnson’s approval rating plummets

Results

6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)

7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar

7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson

9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

A new relationship with the old country

Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed

Result

Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2

Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff