Friends star Matthew Perry is recovering in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery to repair a ruptured bowel.
The 48-year-old, who played Chandler Bing in the iconic comedy, underwent the operation in Los Angeles yesterday after suffering the potentially life threatening tear.
A spokesperson for the star confirmed: “He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals.”
Although the specific details of Perry’s illness are yet to occur, a ruptured bowel occurs when a hole emerges all the way through the stomach, small intestine or large bowel.
If not treated properly, the condition can lead to potentially fatal sepsis.
Perry has previously been open about his battles with drink and drugs, admitting that he has limited memory of shooting three seasons of Friends.
“Mostly it was drinking, you know, and opiates. I think I was pretty good at hiding it, you know, but eventually people were aware”, he admitted in 2013.
Despite starring in the show from 1994-2004, Perry has previously voiced his scepticism about a Friends reunion – and last year admitted that he was even responsible for scrapping one storyline.
“There was a story line on ‘Friends’ where Chandler went to a male strip joint because he really liked the sandwiches,” said Perry.
“And I called up and was like, ‘let’s not do this one’.”