Decision time for stars of Friends

Friends star Matt Le Blanc today said he ‘‘honestly’’ did not know if the cast of the US comedy would want to return for a ninth series.

Producers of the show say they will have to know within the next two months of the Friends stars want to sign on for another series, in order to decide on how to end the series currently being made and shown in America.

But the decision on whether the show will go on is being put in the hands of Le Blanc and co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry.

Scott Sassa, west coast president of NBC, the network which shows Friends in America, said: ‘‘Its really a decision for them; it’s not a negotiation.

‘‘A decision: do they really want the show?’’

But Le Blanc said he did not know how his co-stars felt, although show insiders claim he is keen to make a ninth series while Kudrow and Schwimmer, who said he would like to become a teacher, are the least enthusiastic.

‘‘I honestly don’t know,’’ said the 34-year-old who plays Joey, and whose character had become romantically involved with Rachel, played by Aniston.

But he added that he did not expect to remain a major Hollywood star if the series ended.

‘‘Friends is the kind of thing you hope for - a one in a million shot,’’ he said.

‘‘Am I ever going to be involved with a project as big as this again? Odds are, no.

‘‘Do I need to be in blockbuster after blockbuster? No I don’t need that.’’

Warner Bros, which make the series, also revealed they want Friends to remain in production.

The series currently being shown in America has gained the biggest ratings since 1996, with an average of 26 million tuning in.

But the cast’s pay deal, which is worth more than £550,000 an episode as well as a cut of the profits from the sale of the programme outside America, expires in the summer and a new series would mean a new pay deal.

Salaries for American sitcom stars have reached new heights with Frasier star Kelsey Grammer being paid a reported £1.15m for each episode.

Friends is now the key show for its broadcaster NBC, which would be likely to lose its position as the top network if it lost the programme, meaning the six stars would be likely to gain similar pay deals for a ninth series.

Warner Bros’ television president Peter Roth said: ‘‘Friends remains a series that is important to everyone, most especially the audience.

‘‘It’s our fervent hope the series will continue.’’