HBO Max is finally launching in the UK, and the streaming platform already appears to be making some Friends…
The new service is attempting to persuade viewers to sign up, with monthly plans ranging from £4.99 up to £30.99 including TNT Sports.
This comes ahead of an extraordinarily busy year for the streaming platform, with the Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the third season of House of the Dragon landing this summer.
On top of that, there will be the Harry Potter TV series while Euphoria will be back for a third season in April. The launch of HBO Max will also coincide with The Pitt finally being made available to watch for all of us.
However, what is perhaps most enticing to prospective viewers is the addition of Friends, which has been in streaming limbo since leaving Netflix in the UK at the end of 2025.
Battling other services such as Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus, the inclusion of the American sitcom series starring David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Le Blanc, and the late Matthew Perry could prove to be a tipping point.
When will HBO Max be available in the UK?
After making its debut six years ago in the US, HBO Max has expanded to more than 100 countries in the world.
Now, it has been revealed that the service will be introduced to UK viewers on March 26.
In the past, if a TV show was made by HBOit was understood that it would be available to watch on Sky in the UK.
A breakdown of HBO Max's price tiers
Basic with ads
How much is it? £4.99 a month.
What does it include? This allows streaming on two devices in full HD.
Are there any exclusions? Subscribers on this tier won’t be able to watch new films that land on the streamer after their theatrical releases.
Standard with ads
How much is it? £5.99 a month.
What does it include? This allows streaming on two devices in full HD and includes 30 downloads. Subscribers on this tier will be able to watch new films on the streamer following their theatrical release.
Standard
How much is it? £9.99 a month.
What does it include: This is essentially exactly the same as the previous tier, just without ads.
Premium
How much is it? £14.99 a month.
What does it include? Premium allows streaming on four devices in 4K Ultra HDwith Dolby Atmos where available, and allows 100 downloads. Otherwise it’s the same as Standard, with no ads and access to HBO Max’s film and TV catalogue, including recent cinematic releases.
There is also a separate TNT Sports Plan, which can be purchased as a standalone plan or as an addition to other tiers.
TNT Sports Plan
How much is it? £30.99 a month
What does it include? This includes access to TNT Sports 1-4, TNT Sports Ultimate, live event feeds and TNT Sports Original Documentaries.
Now, subscribers will be able to access content on hbomax.com, as well as via partners including Sky and Amazon Prime Video.
Yet, being a Sky customer doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically be able to access all of the content available on HBO Max.
When did Friends end?
The beloved series, which ran from 1994 to 2004, was a mainstay of Netflix’s catalogue for years, with many fans turning to the show for comfort viewing at home.
It also won numerous awards during its original run and became one of the most popular and acclaimed sitcoms of all time, maintaining a huge following well after its series finale.
However, in December last year, fans found out that they had until the end of the month to watch the series before it was being removed.
The 5 greatest Friends episodes of all time
Metro entertainment reporter Rob Oliver reveals his top picks – do you agree?
5. The One with the Proposal (S6E24/25) Pairing up Chandler and Monica is one of the best decisions the Friends writers ever made. Bringing Richard back to jeopardise their love, just as Chandler gets ready to propose, makes for an all-timer hour of TV drama. Chandler and Richard’s honest confrontation here is one of the greatest scenes in Friends’ 10-year history, and then that’s somehow topped immediately afterwards by Monica’s tearful proposal to her true love.
4. The One with the Embryos (S4E12) While Phoebe’s away being implanted with Frank and Alice’s triplets, the other five members of the gang knuckle down in Apartment 20 for the ultimate quiz about each other’s lives. The stakes get bigger and bigger as the tension rises and rises, with Ross stepping into the role he was born to play: nerdy quizmaster extraordinaire. In a hilarious turn of events that will live long in the memory for any Friends fan, Chandler and Joey somehow outwit Rachel and Monica to win Apartment 20 from the girls (if only for a few weeks).
3. The One Where No One’s Ready (S3E2) One of the most famous bottle episodes in all of 1990s TV, this 25-minute delight locks the cast of Friends in a single room and lets the chemistry between the six of them create glorious, chaotic fireworks. What a treat it must have been to sit in the live audience and see this one taped. Ross’ important function party at the museum takes a backseat in everyone’s minds as each member of the cast gets a chance to really, really shine in this spectacular farce. It ends with Ross preparing to drink a cup of pure chicken fat – if you know, you know.
2. The One Where Everybody Founds Out (S5E14) Definitely the funniest episode in Friends history, and almost the very best of them. Phoebe, upon discovering that Chandler and Monica are hooking up, decides to play a little game that escalates into some of the most awkward scenes in all of Friends’ 10 seasons. Chandler, aware that Phoebe is in the know about him and Monica, fights back and plays a little game of his own. It’s a battle of who’ll crack first as Phoebe and Chandler get closer than they’ve ever been – brilliantly and uncomfortably so. Say it with me: ‘They don’t knoooow we-know-they-know-we-know.’
1. The One with the Morning After (S3E16) Not the funniest Friends episode but definitely the saddest, and, in my view, the best of the lot. Ross and Rachel’s relationship comes crashing down as the pair argue through the night, and through tears, following Ross’ infidelity. Chandler, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe are trapped in Monica’s bedroom, listening through the door but unable to intervene. Ending Ross and Rachel’s relationship like this is one of the bravest moves the show ever pulled and they handle it expertly, dragging you through hell with the two of them. The world was watching Friends, so the world wanted Ross and Rachel to fall in love – we finally got what we wanted, only to have it ripped away after barely a full season. Ross and Rachel didn’t just break up with each other, they broke up with us all.
How are fans reacting to the news?
When Netflix fans learnt that the series was being removed, many were devastated as they expressed their disappointment and confusion.
Worried_Bear9012 said on Reddit: ‘No! I listen to Friends every night to help me fall asleep. I’ve watched it so many times now, I can picture the scenes in my head as I listen.’
Nurumon also added: ‘This kinda sucks because I like being able to whip my phone out for quickness and watching Netflix when I’m cooking or whatever.’
Now, after the addition of Friends to HBO Max, some fans the show is now hidden behind yet another subscription, as Kara wrote: ‘Can the UK come together and please not sign up for HBO Max, the greed of these streaming sites is actually ridiculous and they are holding Friends hostage.’
How to watch Friends in the UK?
Currently, with Netflix removing Friends from their service, reruns are available to watch on channels such as E4 and Comedy Central.
Episodes are also available to buy individually from platforms such as Apple TV and Rakuten, while retailer Zavvi currently has the DVD box set available for £56.
However, the show will also now be available to stream on HBO Max in March.
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