Where to watch Friends in the UK as the hit series celebrates its 32nd anniversary
Today marks 32 years since Friends first aired on television sets across the US, and in light of its anniversary, viewers are desperate to take a trip down memory lane and binge all 10 seasons from start to finish.
Having become the ultimate comfort show for many, Friends remains just as popular today as it was more than three decades ago.
It seems as though we're all wanting to get in on the noughties nostalgia hype lately, and just about everyone is wondering where they can watch the show since its departure from Netflix back in December, 2025.
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Whether you're watching it for the first time or you have every line memorised, there's still loads of ways you can get your fix of Friends. Here's where you can watch the beloved sitcom now that it's no longer available on Netflix.
How to watch Friends in the UK:
After its removal from Netflix, UK audiences will be pleased to know that they can still watch Friends elsewhere.
It's still available to watch on HBO Max, which you can access by subscribing to Amazon, Sky and NOW TV, below.
• Amazon: from £5.99 a month, sign up here
• NOW TV: from £4.99 a month, sign up here
• Sky Ultimate TV Bundle: £24 a month, sign up here
When did Friends first air?
Friends first aired 32 years ago in the US on September 22, 1994. The first episode, "The Pilot", pulled in a viewership of roughly 22 million.
It became a hit after its debut on television, and went on to have a 10-season run until the series ended on May 6, 2004.
Reportedly, Friends naturally came to an end after 10 seasons as the creators felt as though the characters had matured beyond where the plot could take them.
After a decade on air, the cast of Friends said the last day on set was "emotional", with many revealing they "kept crying their makeup off" during the finale.
Why did Friends leave Netflix?
Friends has been taken down from Netflix as of December 30, 2025 in the UK, as the streaming platform tends to remove shows mostly due to expiring licensing agreements.
Netflix only rents the rights to stream from studios and networks for a limited time, and when these contracts end, the platform must decide whether to renew the contract for a show or remove it.
Reportedly, Friends is one of Netflix's most rewatched series of all time, and while it's no longer available to watch on the streaming service, there are still other ways that you can watch it.
Will Friends ever return to Netflix?
After vanishing from Netflix, fans wondered whether Friends would ever make a return to the streaming service.
Speculation grew on Reddit after the show appeared to make a reappearance for viewers from different parts of the world.
However, unfortunately, there are no current plans to renew the series across Netflix in the UK, US or Canada.
One Reddit user from the UK revealed that they have been streaming Friends from Now TV every night before bed, which is only proof that you can still get your Friends fix elsewhere.
Topics: Friends, TV and Film
Samantha Price