Friends: The Reunion - 15 things that would happen if the sitcom was set in and around Sunderland

The wait is finally over.

After more than a year of anticipation – since it was first announced in February 2020 – Friends: The Reunion has finally landed in the UK and Ireland, available for streaming from today (Thursday, May 27).

Produced by Fulwell 73, the show sees the six stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer reunited for an unscripted special.

The one-off episode sees the cast discuss the show’s hugely successful run, revisit the famous set, play trivia games and welcome celebrity guests.

Meanwhile, we’ve had a think about how different Friends would be if it was set in and around Sunderland, instead of the Big Apple.

Here’s how we think it would pan out …

1. The "Joey Special" wouldn't be a Friday night order of two pizzas. It would be two Doner kebabs.

2. Joey's favourite food wouldn't be sandwiches (specifically meatball subs) - it would be Greggs' pasties.

3. Joey and Chandler would have left Ben on the Shields Ferry.

4. Monica's restaurant would likely be on Sunderland's High Street West. Our true review about the "pretentious, comma garlicky" food would never make it to print due to the overpowering nature of the chef.

5. Rachel would have started her career at Geordie Jeans. When it closed down, she would have scored a job in The Bridges.

6. Joey would regularly perform at The Customs House in South Shields - before getting his big break in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at Sunderland Empire.

7. The Friends wouldn't be grabbing a hot pretzel as they dash between their jobs in the city. The snack of choice would definitely be a saveloy dip from Dickson's – or a vegan sausage roll from Greggs for Phoebe.

8. Rachel wouldn't have messed up a trifle for the Thanksgiving dessert - she would have put tomatoes and mayonnaise in an Eton Mess, wrecking a birthday tea.

9. Joey would greet women with "Areeeeeeeeet pet?"

10. Chandler's and Monica's wedding would have taken place at Seaham Hall - but the pair would have toasted their engagement with jagerbombs because Joey was in charge of mixing the drinks.

11. The guys would be late for Monica's Sunday lunch after getting caught up in traffic chaos after a home match at the Stadium of Light. And Ross would probably be cautioned for (accidentally) invading the pitch when a goal was scored.

12. Joey would meet the love of his life while grabbing a Costa coffee. But they would split up when she reveals her allegiance to Newcastle United.

13. Monica wouldn't have travelled to a New Jersey bakery to meet her food cravings as a large teenager - she would have hopped on the bus to Shields for an ice cream cone from Minchellas.

14. Completing the Great North Run before turning 30 would be an item on Phoebe's bucket list. She would do it in her 31st year - on a spacehopper.

15. Rachel wouldn't be "getting off the plane" at the end of the series - she'd be jumping off the Grand Central train from Sunderland to London as it tried to leave the platform. And she'd probably drop her phone down the gap, cutting the message short.

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