Friends, Rick And Morty, and other titles will be departing Netflix UK very soon.

Many beloved programmes, including sitcom The Big Bang Theory, are set to leave the service in December. Friends will be particularly shocking to fans, given that Netflix allowed the show to find a new audience in recent years, alongside those nostalgic for the 90s hit.

The comedy, about six friends living in Manhattan, enjoyed back-to-back success as the UK’s most streamed TV show in 2018 and 2019 respectively. It also experienced a bump in streams following the death of Matthew Perry in 2023. While it has remained popular, younger viewers have been taken aback by some of the outdated humour in episodes.

While no official reason for the departure has been given, it should be noted all three series are owned by Warner Bros, who plan to launch their streaming service, HBO Max, in the UK in March 2026. Both Friends and* The Big Bang Theory* were made by Warner Bros Television, while Rick And Morty was produced by Adult Swim, a network owned by the media giant.

The departure of these titles and a number of Warner Bros films, including The Matrix Trilogy, The Goonies, and Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts movies, suggest content may be being pulled from rival services in order to be available on the new app.

While undoubtedly a blow to the streamer, Netflix is currently enjoying success with its own programming, with movie KPop Demon Hunters becoming its most successful film of all time, and the final season of Stranger Things receiving record audiences and high ratings on website IMDb.

This week, Dr Salvador Plasencia became the first person to receive a prison sentence for the death of Matthew Perry, who played Chandler in Friends. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison for supplying the actor with ketamine. Plasencia had pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution to Perry in July, and subsequently surrendered his medical licence.