Netflix UK is set to lose several popular titles this December, including sitcoms Friends and The Big Bang Theory, as well as animated series Rick & Morty. The departures come as Warner Bros, which owns all three shows, prepares to launch its streaming service HBO Max in the UK in March 2026.
Friends has been a major draw for Netflix, becoming the UK's most streamed TV show in 2018 and 2019. Its popularity surged again following the death of star Matthew Perry in 2023. However, younger audiences have criticised some of the show's outdated humour.
No official reason has been given for the removals, but the timing suggests Warner Bros is pulling content from rival platforms to bolster its own service. Other Warner Bros titles expected to leave include The Matrix Trilogy, The Goonies, and the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.
Despite these losses, Netflix continues to perform strongly with original programming. The film KPop Demon Hunters has become its most successful movie ever, while the final season of Stranger Things has drawn record audiences and high ratings on IMDb.
In related news, Dr Salvador Plasencia this week became the first person sentenced in connection with Matthew Perry's death. He received 30 months in prison for supplying the actor with ketamine, having pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution.
