Skip to main content

One person who loved working on Friends was Tom Selleck. He joined the cast a little later in the series and would occasionally pop up again to stir up some drama. Selleck said he was a little scared to be on the show. Find out the reason why and more.

Tom Selleck played Dr. Richard Burke on ‘Friends’

Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Tom Selleck as Dr. Richard Burke, Courteney Cox Arquette as Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Tom Selleck as Dr. Richard Burke, Courteney Cox Arquette as Monica Geller | Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

The ophthalmologists really hits it off with Monica (Courteney Cox) in season 2. They then start dating, but they realized they want different things. Monica wants kids and Richard already has two children and doesn’t want anymore.

The former couple do cross paths again in season 3. Monica considers getting back with him but Richard reminds her they will still have the same problem. They hook up one last time before moving on.

Monica eventually has a relationship with Chandler (Matthew Perry.) Richard’s last appearance is in the episode “The One With The Proposal, Part 2.” He tries to win her back claiming he’s willing to get married and have kids, but stops when he realizes how Chandler truly wants those things with her.

He said he would return to film more with the ‘Friends’ cast

Many fans would love new episodes of Friends. Selleck is also open to filming more episodes or a movie.

I’d say yes without even seeing a script,” he told Radio Times. “What would be really good is for Richard to come between Monica and Chandler again.”

The actor added that he still wanted there to be an attraction between Monica and the doctor. “I’d hope there’d still be sparks,” he said. “I loved that scene as the eye doctor looking into her eyes. Courteney Cox has very pretty eyes.”

Selleck said he was scared to be on ‘Friends’

Selleck already starred on his own show, Magnum P.I. by the time he got his role on Friends. However, he admitted to still being scared to be on the sitcom.

“I hadn’t done a three camera live show since Taxi,” Selleck told People. “It scared me a little. But that’s the price you pay for opportunity!” He originally signed on for three episodes before being asked at a table read to do more.

“They said, ‘Hey can you do a few more?’” he said. “So then I did more. And I quickly realized, ‘Wow, this is a big deal.’” Selleck added, “It just worked” and “I thought it was great.”

Selleck is now on Blue Bloods. The cast of Friends is reuniting for a special that will be available on HBO Max. It’s unknown when it will be available and it has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The reunion will be unscripted and reuniting Cox, Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer, as well as series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman. The reunion will take place on Stage 24 of the Warner Bros in Burbank, where the entire series was shot.