Friends: The Reunion is finally here.
For the first time in 17 years, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer all reunite to look back on the popular show, which ran for a decade from 1994 to 2004.
Throughout the episode, the cast take questions from the audience, reread extracts of the script, laugh at bloopers and reflect on outtakes from the filming the show.
In the UAE, the show is available now on OSN Streaming.
Here are some key takeaways from the emotional unscripted reunion episode:
1. It’s the second time they have been all together since 2004
The much-anticipated reunion special starts with footage from the final episode, and viewers are told that, since the 2004 finale, all six cast members have been in the same room together just once … “until today”, 17 years on.
2. It's nostalgic on set
“Wow … it’s beautiful, look at that,” Schwimmer says as he walks back on to the set, which is still perfectly intact.
Kudrow is the second cast member to arrive. She embraces Schwimmer, saying, “This is all I care about”.
An emotional Aniston, who instantly requests a tissue box, is the third cast member on set, followed by LeBlanc, Cox and finally Perry.
As Perry walks in, Aniston puts on her best Chandler Bing impression and asks, "Could you be any later?".
LeBlanc remarks that the set feels smaller to him.
3. The interview takes place in front of the same fountain as the credits
James Corden reunites the cast for a “celebration” of the show in front of the famous fountain they filmed the opening credits in, back in the 1990s.
The main show begins as the emotional cast make their way on to the set, Perry saying, “We’ve got this”, as they walk out. They refer to themselves as family, and Kudrow reveals they are all in touch and there for each other when they need to chat.
When Corden tells the cast the original creators and producers of the show – Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane – are there, the cast immediately get up to go and greet them.
4. 'Friends' helped teach BTS's RM English
"My mum bought me DVDs of the whole series when I was at elementary school," BTS star RM says, as the band make a special appearance during the show.
"Friends really had a big hand in teaching me English and the show really taught me things about life and true friendship."
5. Malala Yousafzai 'is a Joey, with a hint of Phoebe'
Activist Malala Yousafzai sits down to talk about the show with her best friend Vee, who says her Nobel Prize-winning friend is a "Joey, with a hint of Phoebe". Vee says that Malala makes jokes that "don't make sense", but the 23-year-old activist insists "they are funny".
Vee claims she's proud she got her friend hooked on the show. Malala's favourite moment from the series is the "routine", which Monica and Ross perform on season six in The One With the Routine.
6. Monica and Chandler were not meant to stay together
Co-creator Crane says that the live audience’s reaction to Monica and Chandler getting together in London made them rethink their story arc, as they were simply meant to have a “brief thing”.
Kauffman said: “But the way the audience reacted, we realised there is more to this and we needed to pay attention.
“That was the end of the season, so we had time to really ruminate and think about it, but it was such a powerful moment, we knew we had to explore it more.”
The producers still didn’t expect it to go as far as it did, with the pair ending up married with children by the end.
7. The cast recreate the quiz
Cox tells Corden that her favourite episodes are the Thanksgiving shows, and the season four instalment when Monica and Rachel lose their apartment to Joey and Chandler in Ross's quiz. This is then recreated by the cast in 2021 with each of them answering some Friends trivia.
During the quiz, the first special guest to make an appearance on set is Larry Hankin, who played Mr Heckles, Monica and Rachel’s constantly annoyed neighbour. Awkwardly, the cast are unable to name his character.
As the quiz goes on, another nostalgic moment comes care of the barbershop quartet that Ross hired to serenade Rachel when she started a new job.
Tom Selleck, who played Monica's love interest Richard Burke, also makes an appearance after the cast are tasked with identifying his voice from an answer machine message during the quiz. As he walks out, Selleck is greeted by a roar of applause from both the audience and cast.
8. Jennifer Aniston was almost not in ‘Friends’, and Courteney Cox almost played Rachel
Schwimmer was the first actor cast, the creators reveal, followed by Kudrow.
When it came to casting Joey, LeBlanc was chosen out of a final two actors, however his competition ultimately ended up in the show. In season six episode The One with Unagi, Joey hires a lookalike, Carl, to pretend to be his twin so he could take place in a medical trial. Carl is played by Louis Mandylor, who almost got the role of Joey.
Cox almost played Rachel, we also find out, but the actress said “she herself was more of a Monica”.
Producers saw “actor after actor” to play Chandler, but dismissed them as not being funny enough. Perry, who was then tied to another project, a sci-fi show that never took off, made the lines “sparkle” when he read them, say the creators.
Finally, there is Rachel – the “hardest” and “last” part that was cast, according to the creators. They said they were worried she could have been unlikeable in the hands of another actor, but Aniston gave her a warmth.
Aniston, like Perry, was also tied into another show, which she had shot six episodes for, but she was still cast. She begged to be released by CBS, so she could be cast in Friends, which led a producer to tell her she made the wrong decision and that "Friends would not make her a star".
9. David Beckham is a Monica
"I'd have to say, I am most like Monica," ex-footballer David Beckham says during the special. "Because I am a clean freak. I travel a lot, I'm always in hotels with downtime, and when I am missing the kids, missing the family, I put on Friends, because it makes me smile."
The sportsman's favourite episode is season three's The One Where No One's Ready, when none of the gang get ready in time for Ross's function, leaving him very stressed out.
“It’s one of those episodes that when I’m away and I’m feeling a little bit low, I put it on and it makes me smile to almost the point of crying,” says Beckham.
It's the episode that Joey utters the famous line, "Look at me, I'm Chandler, could I be wearing any more clothes?".
During the special, the cast revealed that in the episode LeBlanc’s shoulder came out of its socket, showing footage of the actual accident taking place. LeBlanc’s accident was then written into the show, as Joey injuring himself while jumping on the bed.
We also find out that the cast had a pre-show huddle ritual that they did before every episode, but a superstitious LeBlanc reminds them they didn't do it before filming this particular episode in which he injures himself.
10. Lisa Kudrow sings ‘Smelly Cat’ with Lady Gaga
One of the most nostalgic moments comes when Kudrow is joined by Lady Gaga to sing Smelly Cat in Central Perk, and seems to be genuinely star-struck.
"Thank you so much for being the person for all of us on Friends, I don't know if this is the right way to say it, but the different one, or the one who was really herself," Lady Gaga says to Kudrow, of her character Phoebe Buffay.
11. Marcel the monkey was the least popular cast member
In season one, Ross adopts Marcel the monkey; however the stars say he was the least popular cast-mate on the show.
“The monkey, obviously it was trained, but it had to do its mark and do its thing at the perfect time,” Schwimmer recalls. “But what inevitably began to happen is that we’d all have choreographed bits timed out and they would get messed up because the monkey didn’t do its job right, so we’d have to reset and go again.”
Aniston interjects, adding jokingly: “David is so angry still.”
Schwimmer continues: “This kept happening where we’re about to do something really funny, but the monkey missed his mark, so we would have to start again.”
He also reveals that between takes, when the monkey was sat on his shoulder, its trainer would feed it live grubs and then touch his face, a memory that makes Schwimmer look uncomfortable to this day.
12. The cast members don’t remember every episode
With 10 seasons and 236 episodes under their belt, it’s perhaps no surprise the cast members don’t remember every second of the show – unlike the most dedicated of fans.
Aniston brings up the episode where the cast don’t stop throwing a ball to each other, but Schwimmer has no recollection of it, despite being a key character in the ongoing joke.
"There are whole seasons of Friends I haven't seen," says Kudrow. To which LeBlanc replies, "Really? I've seen them all." Cox adds: "I imagine I have seen them all."
Kudrow recalls rewatching season four with her husband, Michel Stern, and Perry asks, “Did you enjoy them when you watched them?”
Kudrow replies: “He enjoys them more than I do because I am mortified by myself.”
Schwimmer says that his daughter Cleo, 10, has just started watching the show.
13. Courteney Cox hid script prompts on set
Cox is outed for needing line prompts for her character Monica’s dialogue.
As they roam around on set, LeBlanc looks for Cox's lines written on the table in her apartment, and Kudrow says there was always a script in the sink and she had no idea it was a prompt.
14. The cast stole souvenirs from the set
Monica’s famous cookie jar is now in the possession of Kudrow. Aniston says she took a coffee mug. And LeBlanc admits he has “the original ball from the foosball table”. He says he couldn’t take the whole table because it was smashed.
Switching%20sides
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
THE%C2%A0SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%204-cylinder%202.5-litre%20%2F%202-litre%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20188hp%20%2F%20248hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20244Nm%20%2F%20370Nm%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%207-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh110%2C000%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Donating your hair
• Your hair should be least 30 cms long, as some of the hair is lost during manufacturing of the wigs.
• Clean, dry hair in good condition (no split ends) from any gender, and of any natural colour, is required.
• Straight, wavy, curly, permed or chemically straightened is permitted.
• Dyed hair must be of a natural colour
The biog
Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
Background: Chemical Weapons
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
