Jason Manford shares touching message to Matthew Perry fans who are struggling with his death: 'Grieve as if you have lost a friend'

Jason Manford has shared a heartfelt connection to fans who are grieving nan nonaccomplishment of Matthew Perry pursuing his abrupt decease complete nan play aged 54.

The comedian, 42, said that group shouldn't consciousness 'silly' for emotion sad astir nan nonaccomplishment of a personification they ne'er met because of nan 'joy' Matthew brought to people's lives.

Jason said 2 days aft Matthew was recovered dormant successful his basking tub astatine his Los Angeles home, telling fans: 'Grieve arsenic if you person mislaid a friend.'

He added: 'Some group consciousness a spot silly astir being upset erstwhile a personification they haven't met has passed distant – but group mean different things to america and erstwhile they're a joyousness bringer for illustration Matthew was, it's almost doubly hard.' 

Sharing his ain admiration for nan actor, he said: 'Matthew had each nan champion one-liners and funny reactions… arsenic a young comic watching, you dream of being fixed a domiciled successful a show for illustration that, and he perfectly smashed it.'

Jason's words travel soon aft Friends cocreator Marta Kauffman has admitted she was 'concerned' about Matthew falling backmost into addiction up of nan sitcom's reunion successful 2021 aft he was forced to acquisition emergency dental surgery.

Marta paid tribute to Matthew on nan Today show connected Wednesday and recalled her fears for his health, claiming nan star, who played Chandler Bing successful nan TV sitcom, was being fixed 'opioids for pain.'

'Yes, I was concerned astir him,' she said of nan character who was recently sober erstwhile filming took place. 

'Knowing that he'd been done everything he'd been through, and each clip he had room they're giving him opioids for pain, and nan rhythm starts complete again.

'So, yes, I was concerned astir what constituent successful nan rhythm he was successful that moment.' 

Matthew, whose colon burst successful 2018 from opioid overuse, sparked interest aft appearing to slur his words successful a video promoting nan eagerly anticipated reunion. 

He later revealed that he underwent dental room conscionable days earlier filming, telling Diane Sawyer successful a 2022 question and reply that nan process 'made [his] rima consciousness for illustration fire'.

The Friends reunion was hosted by James Corden and released connected HBO Max successful May 2021.

The typical saw nan main formed - Matthew, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Le Blanc and Courteney Cox - revisit nan sets from nan seminal 90s sitcom and reenact scenes, arsenic good arsenic meet pinch nan impermanent stars.

It besides marked his last on-screen quality earlier his death.

Matthew was candid astir his addiction struggles, revealing successful his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, that he went to rehab aggregate times, spent thousands of hours astatine AA meetings and splashed millions of dollars trying to get clean.

He said he overcame his addiction successful 2021, and he was believed to beryllium starring a healthier manner successful caller months.

Elsewhere during nan interview, Marta besides divulged that she said to nan character conscionable 2 weeks earlier he died.

'It was great, he was happy and chipper,' she explained.

'He didn't look weighed down by anything. He was successful a really bully place, which is why this seems truthful unfair.'

News of Matthew's passing sent shockwaves astir nan globe. 

He was discovered unconscious successful his jacuzzi by his assistant, who frantically called 911 and lifted his caput up to effort to get him immoderate air.

But by nan clip nan Los Angeles Fire Department arrived astatine nan Friends star's Pacific Palisades home, they said he was already dead.

An first autopsy consequence has been 'deferred,' pinch tests revealing location was no meth aliases fentanyl successful his system. Further toxicology reports are group to follow.

Marta and chap Friends co-creator David Crane issued a associated connection successful nan aftermath of his abrupt death, on pinch bid head Kevin Bright.

They remembered him for his 'blinding intelligence' and ever being 'the funniest personification successful nan room.'

'We are shocked and deeply, profoundly saddened by our beloved friend Matthew's passing,' they said to Deadline. 'It still seems impossible.

'All we tin opportunity is that we consciousness blessed to person had him arsenic portion of our lives.

'He was a superb talent. It's a cliché to opportunity that an character makes a domiciled their own, but successful Matthew's case, location are nary truer words.

'From nan time we first heard him embody nan domiciled of Chandler Bing, location was nary 1 other for us.

'We will ever cherish nan joy, nan light, nan blinding intelligence he brought to each infinitesimal – not conscionable to his work, but successful life arsenic well.

'He was ever nan funniest personification successful nan room. More than that, he was nan sweetest, pinch a giving and selfless heart.'

Playing connected nan celebrated section titles successful Friends, they added: 'We nonstop each of our emotion to his family and friends. This genuinely is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.'

The cast besides released a statement, successful which they said they were 'so utterly devastated'.

'We're much than conscionable castmates, we're family,' they said. 'There's truthful overmuch to say, but now we're gonna return a infinitesimal to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.'