Friends Star Matthew Perry Dies Of Apparent Drowning At 54

Matthew Perry, best known for his role on hit US sitcom Friends, has died of an apparent drowning at his home.

The actor was 54 years old.

A 911 call was received by Los Angeles Police at 4.07pm local time (12.07am UK time).

The incident at the star's Pacific Palisades home in LA was treated as a water rescue, a police source said.

According to The LA Times and TMZ, Perry died in a hot tub or Jacuzzi.

There was no apparent foul play and no confirmed cause of death. An investigation is ongoing.

Perry was open about his past addictions to prescription drugs and alcohol.

He shot to fame for his role on 1990s sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer.

The hit show followed the close-knit group living in New York, with Perry playing Chandler Bing, who became known for his use of sarcastic one-liners.

(c) Sky

The show ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, with a reunion special in 2021.

Around a year ago, Perry embarked on a press tour for the release of his memoir Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.

He spoke about his battle with addiction - including a near-death experience in 2019 after his colon burst as a result of opioid use.

In 2021, Perry appeared alongside his Friends co-stars for a reunion special.

Hosted by James Corden, the original cast members visited old sets, including the Central Perk coffee shop, re-enacted some scenes and discussed the continuation of their characters' storylines.

Born in Massachusetts, Perry was raised in Ottawa, Canada and moved to LA to pursue an acting career at the age of 15 - joining the cast of Friends at the age of 24.

He received one Emmy nomination for his role as Chandler, and a further two for appearances on political drama television series The West Wing.