Actor Matthew Perry splits up with fiancee

LOS ANGELES • About half a year after announcing it, Friends star Matthew Perry has called off his engagement to literary manager Molly Hurwitz.

In an exclusive from People magazine, the actor said in a statement: "Sometimes things just don't work out and this is one of them. I wish Molly the best."

Perry, 51, and Hurwitz, 29, began dating in 2018 and got engaged last November.

At the time, he told People: "I decided to get engaged. Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time."

The low-key couple went public with their relationship on Valentine's Day last year, with Hurwitz posting a photo of Perry on Instagram.

She also appeared on his Instagram account for the first time last December, modelling his line of Friends merchandise with pithy one-liners that recall his sarcastic Friends character Chandler Bing.

In one photo, she was flicking her hair while wearing a T-shirt which said: "Could this be any more of a T-shirt?"

Perry wrote in the caption: "You don't have to pose this way while wearing the shirt, but please feel free."

In another photo, she was in a baseball cap with the words, "What is this, a baseball cap?", on it.

Proceeds of the limited-edition line of merchandise went to the World Health Organisation's Covid-19 relief efforts.

The news of the couple's split comes on the heels of last week's highly anticipated Friends reunion, which reunited the six stars of the hit sitcom that ended 17 years ago. It ran from 1994 to 2004.

Perry, who has a history of addiction to painkillers and alcohol, caused concern among fans when he appeared to slur his words on the show.

However, Ben Winston, who directed the reunion, said: "He was great. People can sometimes just be unkind."

According to British tabloid The Sun, which quoted anonymous sources, Perry had undergone emergency dental work before filming began in April and that had affected his speech.