'Friends' producer reveals how agonizingly close an official reunion was after talks were held last month

For many of us, Friends wasn't just a show we watched and enjoyed, but one we straight-up obsessed over. It was one of the few sitcoms that managed to keep its audience invested in the ongoing relationships as well as laughing at the jokes.

While it came to a close 14 years ago (yes it's really been that long), re-runs have kept it in our minds over the subsequent years. It kind of feels like I've seen every episode at least five times now at this point - but fans of the show still want more.

So, is there a chance of seeing Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe and Joey get back together for a reunion? Well, as it turns out, we came incredibly close to seeing one get made earlier this year.

Speaking to Metro recently, executive producer and director Kevin S. Bright talked about the show, touching on the chance of it coming back and even revealing that Ross and Rachel almost never went 'on a break'.

"I would say initially when [Ross and Rachel] was planned it wasn’t planned that way, that came a little bit later," he said. "It allowed us to have fun with the show and give people something to root for."

"We were well aware the audience wanted to keep them together but everything that was keeping them apart – we realised when we got them together when the first kiss happened we go, 'Wow, the air has kind of gone out of the balloon'. There wasn’t that sexual tension anymore.

"I thought what Marta and David did, which was such a brilliant and brave move with their relationship, as soon as everyone got their wish the wish was taken away. It made it so much better when they did get together."

In addition to this, Bright was asked about the potential of a reunion, and revealed we came pretty close last month.

"Oh yes," he said. "I tell you we had a meeting month ago where I had hopes it would come back."

"I love David Crane’s [one of the show's creators] quote that '50-year-olds hanging out in a coffee shop would be pathetic'. If we did come back it would be the same characters but wouldn’t be the same show.

"They’re at different places in their lives, potentially divorces and so we feel just like letting them go off into the sunset is one of the things which keeps them going in people’s minds; wondering what they do and did the marriage last and what did the kids grow up to be like. I think that’s best left to the audience."

So, while they did consider a reunion, in the end they chose not to. If they did bring the characters back, they wouldn't exactly be able to hang out in the same cafe each day - each with their own family and responsibilities, and Monica and Chandler moving out of the city.

Maybe Bright is right when he says it's best left to us to imagine what could have happened - after all, not all comebacks work out as well as we hope. On the other hand - next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the show's first episode - a perfect time to revisit Central Perk...