THE WORLD of showbiz has been left mourning after the shock death of Friends legend Matthew Perry.
The actor's body was found in a Los Angeles home on Saturday after he reportedly drowned in a jacuzzi.
Matthew posted a picture of himself enjoying a night time swim just days before his tragic death at age 54.
A host of TV personalities, actors and former colleagues have raced to social media to pay tribute to the talented actor.
TalkTV star and Sun Columnist Piers Morgan said Matthew was “a great actor, but by his own admission, a very tormented guy. His recent autobiography about his addiction-ravaged life was one of the most powerful, honest and revealing I’ve ever read. Such sad news.”
Maggie Wheeler, the actress who played Janice Hosenstein on Friends and starred alongside Perry, posted a tribute to him on Instagram.
"What a loss. The world will miss you Mathew Perry. The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on," she wrote.
"I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared."
Wheeler's character on Friends was a longtime on-and-off girlfriend of Perry's character, Chandler Bing.
Actress Morgan Fairchild, who played Matthew mum in the US sitcom, said she was in "shock" and "heartbroken" at the death of her "son".
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She penned a heartfelt caption which read: "I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my “son”, Matthew Perry.
"The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. I’m sending love & condolences to his friends & family, especially his dad, John Bennett Perry, who I worked with on Flamingo Road & Falcon Crest."
Hollywood star Selma Blair posted a photograph of the two of them on Instagram following the tragic news.
"My oldest boy friend. All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams," she wrote.
The actor Wendell Pierce, who starred alongside Perry in the remake of The Odd Couple, wrote: “Damn. For two years Matthew Perry was my boss, my colleague, and a giving, kind, funny man. I pray and hope he is at peace.”
Actress Paget Brewster, who played Chandler’s girlfriend Kathy in season four of Friends, said his legacy will live on through his laughter.
She wrote on X: "He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after. Please read his book. It was his legacy to help. He won’t rest in peace though. He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there.”
The official Friends X account has paid tribute to late star.
"We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans," they wrote on the platform.
NBC, the network that aired Friends, said: “He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”
Warner Bros Television Group, which produced Friends for its entire run from 1994 to 2004, said it was a "heartbreaking day" in a statement.
It read: “We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros Television Group family.
"The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.”
Although Perry had a long history of addiction, no drugs were found at the scene, police told TMZ. No foul play is suspected.
The actor's final Instagram post on Monday showed him taking a late night dip.
In the image, the star best known for his beloved character Chandler Bing can be seen relaxing in the water with a pair of headphones on.
"Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good?" the star wrote in the description.
"I'm Mattman."
In the months and years leading up to Perry's death, many fans were worried about him.
At times he appeared upset and disheveled.
The actor seemed downcast during his final public sighting at The Apple Pan, a popular Los Angeles restaurant, even though he was out with friends at the time.
This excursion came after Perry wrapped up the whirlwind tour for promoting his new memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: A Candid, Darkly Funny Book.
In the memoir, he shared details about his battle with addiction.
At one point, the star said he was taking 55 Vicodin pills a day and weighed just 128 pounds.
The star's habit also caused him to lose all of his top teeth at one point.
Perry's book also detailed how he nearly died from gastrointestinal perforation caused by his extreme opiate usage in 2019.
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Doctors said he had just a two percent chance or surviving after he was in a coma for two weeks.
Perry was forced to wear a colostomy bag and said he woke up covered in his own feces between 50 and 60 times while he was hospitalized for five months.
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