Netflix Is Forking Out $100M To Keep 'Friends' Next Year

Friends fans have been given an early Christmas present as Netflix has announced the hit sitcom will be staying put on the streaming site. Could I be any happier?

Earlier this week, US Friends fans were left reeling when a note popped up on Netflix announcing that the show had an expiry date of 1 January. Mass panic ensued, but Netflix quickly responded telling viewers that the show would be staying put.

But the cost of keeping fans happy has come at a high price, $100 million (£78m).

According to the New York Times, Netflix will be stumping up the hefty sum to Warner Bros to continue licensing the show.

The article goes on to claim that it's a serious price increase from the $30 million (£23m) a year Netflix previously paid for streaming rights to the show.

Fans of the show were left heart-broken earlier this week when it was reported that Netflix was losing Friends with some subscribers even threatening to cancel their subscriptions if Netflix didn't keep it.

Panicked fans wondered how they were going to get their binge-fix of Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Chandler and Phoebe, and questioned Netflix's decision, with one fan taking to Twitter to ask: "Netflix is removing friends. How do I tell them that they're making a horrible decision?"

While another wrote: "Netflix is taking Friends off Jan. 1 and tbh I might just cry. I hope you pay for this Netflix."

So, the news that it was going nowhere was greeted with joy after it was announced on Twitter; with one writing: "Netflix just saved themselves from losing like half of their customers."

Someone else added: "OMG YES, I was about to say, we already starting off 2019 on the wrong foot."

Well, we wouldn't want that would we?

Friends will also begin streaming on AT&T's Warner Media streaming service that's set to launch in 2019.

The new streaming service would have access to an incredible library of Warner Bros flicks, including Harry Potter, the Lego movies and The Lord of the Rings.

So could somebody offer some serious competition for Netflix?

Topics: TV and Film, Netflix, Friends

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19