Fans express frustration over James Corden hosting 'Friends' reunion

After HBO released the first full-length trailer for the upcoming reunion special of "Friends," fans expressed frustration over the inclusion of late-night talk show host James Corden, who never appeared in the hit sitcom.

The highly anticipated trailer featured the show's main cast, including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. In the trailer, which was released on Wednesday, the stars could be seen revisiting the show's sets, re-enacting scenes of older episodes and participating in a live panel discussion.

That panel appeared to be moderated by "The Late Late Show" host Corden, who could be seen asking the cast members about their time on the popular 1990s sitcom.

Fans were quick to say they were no friend of Corden.

“James Corden adding the ‘Friends’ reunion to the list of things he’s ruined with his mere presence,” one Twitter user wrote.

One fan suggested that the iconic show should have chosen a different host who actually appeared in the show's original run.

“All these people could’ve been a part of the friends reunion but Warner Bros chose Justin Bieber and James Corden,” the fan tweeted with photos of notable guest stars Brad Pitt, Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon.

"Don’t get me wrong I’ve been wanting a Friends reunion since 2004 but if someone told me James Corden would be in it I’d have told them not to bother," another fan wrote.

"Friends: The Reunion" is produced, in part, by production company Fulwell 73. Corden joined the company as a full partner in 2017, according to their website.

"Friends," a show that centered the lives of six friends in their 20s and 30s who lived in New York City, has propelled into cult status since the sitcom's record-breaking finale in 2004. Throughout its decade-long run, "Friends" has consistently ranked high in its viewership and ratings.

The show aired on NBC during its original broadcast between 1994 and 2004.

The special reunion episode is expected to be released on the HBO Max streaming service on May 27.