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Where was Friends filmed?

FRIENDS has been thrilling fans since it first aired back in 1994.

But despite the show being set in New York, it was actually filmed elsewhere.

🔵 Read our Friends reunion live blog for the latest updates...

Smash hit comedy Friends is set in New York but NOT filmed there
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Smash hit comedy Friends is set in New York but NOT filmed thereCredit: Getty - Contributor

Where was Friends filmed?

New York

Sadly, although the show is set in New York, only the exterior shots you see between scenes were filmed in the Big Apple.

So when you see the outside of Monica's apartment, or the Manhattan skyline, that is real NYC.

But apart from these shots, and despite the fact the characters are all New Yorkers, the hit series was filmed in the West Coast of America and not the East.

Los Angeles

The streets of New York were recreated in an LA studio
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The streets of New York were recreated in an LA studioCredit: ©2021 WarnerMedia Direct

That's right folks, Friends was really filmed in LA.

Almost everything we see was shot at the Warner Brothers Ranch Studios in California.

Stage 5 was used for the first season, and Stage 24 for the rest.

Producer Kevin Bright revealed to that all of the scenes were shot indoors.

Central Perk was filmed at the Warner Brothers Ranch Studios in California
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Central Perk was filmed at the Warner Brothers Ranch Studios in CaliforniaCredit: ©2021 WarnerMedia Direct

He said: "We find that taking the show out of the studio makes it less funny, even when we shoot on the lot outside."

So even the Thanksgiving ball game in season three was shot indoors.

This also applies to the opening credits where the cast are dancing around the famous fountain.

This was also filmed on Warner Brothers Ranch, and not in New York, as most fans think.

Monica's famous purple apartment
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Monica's famous purple apartmentCredit: ©2021 WarnerMedia Direct,

How can I watch Friends: The Reunion?

UK fans can watch Friends: The Reunion on Now TV right NOW or on Sky One from 8pm on May 27.

If you are in the US, you can watch it on the streaming service HBO Max NOW.

The hotly-anticipated show dropped at 3am ET and 12am PT.

Jennifer Aniston bursts into tears just seconds after arriving for emotional Friends reunion special

What else can I read on Friends: The Reunion?

Want to find out more about the Friends cast and the reunion episode? We've got you covered...

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