Gunther actor James Michael Tyler from Friends reveals stage 4 cancer diagnosis

The highly-anticipated Friends reunion special debuted on HBO Max last month, and though fans were happy to see the six main cast members back together again, many iconic stars from the beloved show were notably absent. One of those actors was James Michael Tyler, who memorably played Gunther for all 10 seasons of the show.

Viewers were disappointed that Tyler did not physically attend the reunion, and now the actor has revealed why that was. Unfortunately, as he explained on the Today show this morning, he is battling stage 4 prostate cancer.

As reported by People, the Friends alum opened up on his diagnosis for the first time publically, sharing that he found out back in September 2018.

Tyler said of his diagnosis: “I’ve been dealing with that diagnosis for almost the past three years. … It’s stage 4, late-stage cancer. So eventually, you know, it’s gonna probably get me.”

The actor also shared how the cancer has spread to his bones and spine, causing paralysis in his lower body. Check out part of his interview with the Today show host Craig Melvin in the tweet below:

When speaking about the Friends reunion, James Michael Tyler was sure to explain that while he wanted to attend physically, he didn’t think it was the best time to reveal his diagnosis. He stated:

"“It was bittersweet, honestly. I was very happy to be included. It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically, because I didn’t wanna bring a downer on it, you know? … I didn’t want to be like, ‘Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer.'”"

Needless to say, Friends fans are very upset to hear the news of Tyler’s diagnosis and are wishing him good health all over social media. Fortunately, it looks like the actor is in relatively good spirits all things considered, even making a joke at the top of the interview that he wasn’t there to announce a Friends movie.

Later on in the clip we shared above, Tyler also urges people to make sure to get check-ups with their doctors, specifically recommending the Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to check for prostate cancer.

We’re keeping Tyler in our thoughts and wish him nothing but the best as he continues this battle.