Friends cast set to reunite after 12 years apart

A scene from the finale of Friends.

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry are to take part in a Friends reunion special.

There have been rumours of a reunion since the beloved sitcom came to an end in 2004.

However, while the majority of the reports have been shot down, network NBC have confirmed the original castmates will all appear in a show honouring director James Burrows, which will air on February 21.

Despite the happy news, it is unclear as yet whether the former castmates will all be reunited for the programme.

Speaking at the 2016 TCA Winter Press Tour, NBC's Robert Greenblatt explained: "Hoping that all six of them will be in the same room at the same time, but I'm not sure we can logistically pull that off."

Burrows is one of the most famous directors in the television world, having helmed episodes of Friends, Cheers, Frasier and Mike and Molly among others.

Will and Grace star Sean Hayes will be producing the special and the cast of the programme will also pay their own tributes to the director.

Friends fans have long been hoping for a series comeback or a movie spin off of the show. The cast haven't been seen together for nearly 12 years.

But co-creator Marta Kaufman dismissed any hopes during an interview in 2015 with E! News, when she said: "The fans have to let it go. It'll never happen-not happening!"

Three cast members, Jennifer Anniston, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox, made a partial reunion happen for a Jimmy Kimmel skit about the show last year.

- nzherald.co.nz