Bang Showbiz reported today that the cast and crew of the legendary TV series, Friends, will be tested for the coronavirus before the reunion’s filming in August. Reportedly, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, and Matt LeBlanc, will all get together next month for HBO Max’s one-episode reunion.

An insider who spoke with The Sunday Mirror’s Watts The Goss column claimed that everyone who’s working on the show is really hoping they can get started next month.

The source added that the show will go on as usual, but there are strict guidelines for them to follow, including no live audiences. Obviously, the exclusion of an audience was a blow to morale due to the fact the bosses were eager to create more of an authentic vibe.

The same insider said that every member of the cast will be tested for COVID-19, and will have to stay in isolation afterward to ensure the virus doesn’t spread, or at least until the results come back negative.

Fans of Friends know this news comes shortly after the co-creator, Martha Kauffman, claimed she and the rest of the cast and crew were hoping to start working on the series in August.

On the other hand, the studios, including WarnerMedia Entertainment, claimed Friends wouldn’t resume filming until they could get in front of a live audience.

Much of the entertainment industry, including concerts, festivals, television productions, and films, have been shut down on account of the coronavirus pandemic. Movies such as Disney’s Mulan and No Time To Die have been repeatedly postponed.

The same effect can be seen in other areas as well, including in the music business. Festivals like Coachella have been shut down for the remainder of the year, and many performing artists have had to postpone their concerts until next year.

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A report from earlier this year stated that NBCUniversal shut down over 35 productions once the pandemic reached the United States and the lockdowns began.