Netflix Reportedly Spent £80 Million Trying To Save Friends

Good news: Friends will still be there for you, like it's been there before, on Netflix.

When Netflix seemingly announced that it would no longer carry the beloved '90s sitcom in 2019, the internet erupted in what felt like the biggest breakup of the year. (My existence relies on a daily shot of Chandler sarcasm). Soon after, however, the streaming service recanted, announcing that the show would continue to run on the platform for at least another year.

But this deal comes at a high cost. According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal's Joe Flint, AT&T Inc.’s WarnerMedia, which owns the show, agreed to license the show for Netflix for around £80 million — more than three times what it was paying before. This new pact also stipulates that AT&T will also run the show on its own streaming platform, which is due to launch late next year.

So fret not, Friends fans: your collective "unagi" turned the tide enough for at least another year of Monica's frenetic energy, Rachel's drama, Pheobe's crooning, Joey's spaciness, Ross's nerdy facts and Chandler's biting one-liners.

Refinery29 has reached out to Warner Bros. and Netflix for comment.