Friends star Matthew Perry's onscreen mum tried to help as he succumbed to drug addiction
Matthew Perry 's on-screen mum Morgan Fairchild has revealed she tried to help him beat his addiction to drugs.
In a moving documentary about the Friends star's mental health battles, Morgan and other pals speak candidly about the actor, who found global fame as joker Chandler Bing.
Morgan, who played Chandler's mum Nora, says: 'I have flashbacks of that young man who would come bounding over on set like a big puppy dog, that's how I remember him.
"I tried to reach out a little bit and let him know I was there for him, because I have had other people in my life who have had trouble with alcohol or drugs. I said, 'I'm here to talk if you would like to'.'
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman adds: 'I lost a friend in multiple ways. What's amazing is the outpouring from the fans who lost a friend too.'
Matthew drowned in the spa bath at his Los Angeles home last October at the age of 54.
After many years battling addictions to alcohol and drugs, he had fallen victim to a ketamine habit. There was an outpouring of grief from fans across the world, as well as co-stars including Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow.
In documentary Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, Morgan says: 'I remember when Matthew was first starting to go public with some of his issues. I was terribly proud of him.'
Morgan, 75, also known for 80s US soap Falcon Crest, adds: 'It's hard to admit you've got any problem. He also wanted to help other people who were also struggling. Even in the midst of his own pain, he tried to reach out to other people.'
The show also features updates on the trials of those allegedly involved in supplying drugs to Matthew. Five people were charged, including two doctors, as well as Matthew's PA Kenneth Iwamasa, who found him dead.
Other celebrity contributors, meanwhile, include Simpsons voice Hank Azaria, who says Matthew helped him through his own battle with alcohol.
Hank says: 'Matthew was the first friend I made in LA. I was 21, he was 16. We did a pilot that never saw the light of day. We became really good friends. We were like brothers for a long time.'
He adds: 'The night I went into AA, Matthew brought me in. The first year I was sober we went to meetings together and he was a great support. He was so caring and giving and wise and he totally helped me get sober.
"Most nights spent with Matthew you were crying laughing by the end. I really loved him. A lot of us who loved him felt like we lost him to drugs and alcohol a long time ago.' Morgan says Matthew's acting touched people 'all over the world'. She says: 'His legacy will be one of hope and joy and friendship and love.'
Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, Monday 18th August, ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm.
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