Friends star Matt LeBlanc has compared the 90s sitcom to the works of Shakespeare, because he believes its timeless themes have kept it alive for so long.

The 47-year-old actor made his name playing Joey Tribbiani in the hit NBC show from 1994 to 2004, which is still being shown on TV, and fans are constantly asking when the cast will reunite for a follow-up.

Matt said: “It’s a great show, we never dealt with anything really topical or political, so it holds up. The themes we dealt with were sort of eternal like friendship and love and marriage and trust and betrayal – things that date back as far as, I don’t know, Shakespeare. As far back as storytelling goes.”

The cast of Friends
The cast of Friends (Warner Bros)

Matt now stars as a fictional version of himself in Episodes, with Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig, written by Friends co-creator David Crane.

Friends star David Schwimmer makes a cameo in the new series.

Dabid Schwimmer cameos in the new series of Episodes (Evan Agostini/AP)
David Schwimmer cameos in the new series of Episodes (Evan Agostini/AP)

Matt said: “There was an opportunity in the show this year where my character gets invited to a dictator’s party in ‘Karakahstan’ and originally in the script just another celebrity that I know was going to be in there, ’cause they didn’t know who was going to be available.

“I think it was me that suggested David and they were all over it and I called him, he read it and he happened to be in London and he said great. I think he was excited to be able to work with David Crane again so it was nice. It was a sweet thing.”

Matt and Stephen and Tamsin in Episodes (BBC/HatTrick)
Matt and Stephen and Tamsin in Episodes (BBC/HatTrick)

Since the show’s 20th anniversary last year, there have been rumours circulating that there is to be a Friends movie.

But Matt said: “I don’t think there’ll be a movie. As far as little things here and there, we spend a lot of time together, so any time there’s more than one of us in a room together there’s going to be parallels drawn to the show.

Matt Le Blanc, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Davd Schwimmer starred in Friends for 10 years (Kevork Djansezian/AP)
Matt Le Blanc, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Davd Schwimmer starred in Friends for 10 years (Kevork Djansezian/AP)

“But as far as a reunion goes, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. I think we’re all very flattered that people keep talking about it.”

Episodes returns to BBC Two on Monday, May 11.