FRIENDS actor Matthew Perry was reportedly rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after suffering a ruptured bowel. The 48-year-old is recovering after undergoing the op to repair a potentially life-threatening tear in his gut in Los Angeles on Tuesday. 3 Matthew Perry was taken to hospital for emergency surgery for a ruptured bowel, his reps confirmed Credit: Getty - Contributor A representative for the star told TMZ Perry "appreciates the concern over his health" but asked for "privacy as he heals." Gastrointestinal perforation, more commonly known as ruptured bowel, occurs when a hole forms all the way through the stomach, large bowel, or small intestine. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and tenderness and complications can lead to sepsis which is a life-threatening bacterial infection. The actor has spoken publicly about his battles with drug addiction and attempts at long-term recovery. 3 The actor starred as Chandler Bing in hit US series Friends Credit: Getty - Contributor Matthew Perry reveals his favourite line of all time from from Friends Perry is known to have entered addiction programmes for Vicodin in 1997 and 2001. His weight plummeted to around 10 stone and Perry says he has little memory of shooting three seasons of Friends. In 2013, Perry spoke about his battles with drink and drugs and said he was winning his battle against addiction. He told ABC News: "Mostly it was drinking, you know, and opiates. I think I was pretty good at hiding it, you know, but eventually people were aware. 3 Perry, pictured earlier this year, has spoken publicly about his battles with addiction Credit: Rex Features "I honestly recoil. It’s scary to look at that. I was a sick guy." Last year, a porn star claimed Perry pleaded with her to get him 40 or 50 prescription painkillers. Maddy O'Reilly said she received a series of Instagram messages from Perry, an ex-lover, asking if she knew anyone who could "help me purchase some pills". The 27-year-old claims when she asked the actor what he'd be willing to pay he replied: "It depends which one (type of painkiller) is available. But... a lot." MOST READ IN TV & SHOWBIZ KIM'S NEW KRUSH The men lining up to be Kim K's next partner as Kanye ‘dates Irina Shayk’ JOSS PERFECT Jac Jossa shows off her tiny waist after weight loss in pretty summer dresses 'WE'LL SEE' Louise Redknapp revealed Jamie wanted another baby when she was on Strictly GRANDE AFFAIR Ariana dazzles in white gown as she shares private pics from secret wedding a wright treat! Mark Wright gives fans tour of new £2,400 a night home with Michelle Keegan Exclusive ARG-AIN James ‘Arg’ Argent's set to reunite with 'love of his life' ex Lydia Bright She told DailyMailTV at the time: "I am concerned for Matthew's well-being, we're having the same drugs problem back home in North Carolina, I've seen it destroy many people's lives. "I would really hate to see something bad happen to him." Perry shot to fame in the 90s classic sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. Ben Shephard reveals he made a cameo in Friends on Good Morning Britain Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.<doc-sep>Friends star Matthew Perry rushed to hospital for emergency surgery Friends star Matthew Perry has undergone emergency surgery. Perry, 48, was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday evening due to a ruptured bowel. Advertisement He has reportedly had emergency surgery for the gastrointestinal perforation, which means a hole has formed in part of the gastrointestinal tract (the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine). A spokesman for Perry said: "He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals." The symptoms for the perforation include severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and if left untreated the complications can be life-threatening. According to Hollywood Life from Radar Online, Perry has undergone a tracheostomy, which means a small incision is made in the front of the neck to give doctor's access to the throat and a tube is then inserted to help the patient breathe. However, this has not been confirmed by other sources. Friends last series aired in 2004 and Perry has gone on to star in 17 Again alongside Zac Efron and co-create and star in the TV series Mr. Sunshine and The Odd Couple.<doc-sep>Friends star Matthew Perry rushed to hospital for emergency surgery (Picture: Getty Images) Friends star Matthew Perry has reportedly undergone emergency surgery to repair gastrointestinal perforation. ‘He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals,’ reps for Matthew said in a statement to Mail Online, confirming he had been admitted to hospital on Tuesday. Gastrointestinal perforation, also known as ruptured bowel, is a hole in the wall of part of the gastrointestinal tract which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and tenderness and causes are wide but can include ulcers. Actor Matthew Perry in 2016 (Picture: /WireImage) Perry has been open in the past about his drink and drug addictions, admitting in 2015 that he was addiction the whole time he was on the hit comedy Friends. ‘I’m a pretty private person, but I was on a TV show that 30 million people were watching. So people knew. It was so public what was happening to me,’ he said. It’s been a long road to recovery for him, including two stints in rehab but he added: ‘You can’t have a drug problem for 30 years and then expect to have it solved in 28 days.’ When his addiction was at its worst he admitted to drinking two pints of vodka a day and taking up to 30 tablets. He went into rehab in 1997 for Vicodin and again in 2001.<doc-sep>Celeb obsessed? Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Friends star Matthew Perry is recovering after undergoing emergency surgery. The actor had surgery at a Los Angeles hospital to repair a gastrointestinal perforation, his representative said. They added in statement: "He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals." Symptoms of a gastrointestinal perforation, which is a hole in the wall of part of the stomach, large bowel or small intestine, is severe abdominal pain and tenderness. A gastrointestinal perforation is also known as a ruptured bowel. (Image: Getty) Perry, 48, has been vocal about his health battles in the past, previously speaking about his struggle with alcoholism and the prescription pain medication Vicodin. He told People in 2013: "I couldn’t stop. “Eventually things got so bad that I couldn’t hide it, and then everybody knew.” Two years later he talked candidly about his experience in rehab. “You can’t have a drug problem for 30 years and then expect to have it be solved in 28 days," he told The Hollywood Reporter. “At Phoenix House, I was very moved by the hope that I saw there, which is what this is all about. “Getting sober is a really hard thing to do.” (Image: Getty) He now tries to help others, adding: “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life. "I’ve learned a lot from my failures, but the best thing about me is if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, 'Will you help me stop drinking?' I will say, 'Yes. I know how to do that.'" The star found fame in the 1990s while starring as Chandler Bing in classic US sitcom Friends. Alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, Perry was one of the most recognisable faces on TV. Friends ended in 2004 but fans rejoiced when all 10 series were brought to Netflix in January this year. He previously said he would not want to take part in a Friends reunion because it would "ruin" the sitcom's ending.<doc-sep>
FRIENDS actor Matthew Perry was reportedly rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after suffering a ruptured bowel. The 48-year-old is recovering after undergoing the operation to repair a potentially life-threatening tear in his gut in Los Angeles on Tuesday, reports The Sun. A representative for the star told TMZ that Perry “appreciates the concern over his health” but asked for “privacy as he heals.” Gastrointestinal perforation, more commonly known as ruptured bowel, occurs when a hole forms all the way through the stomach, large bowel, or small intestine. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and tenderness and complications can lead to sepsis which is a life-threatening bacterial infection. The actor has spoken publicly about his battles with drug addiction and attempts at long-term recovery. Perry is known to have entered addiction programs for dependence on the painkiller Vicodin in 1997 and 2001. His weight plummeted to around 63 kilograms and Perry says he has little memory of shooting three seasons of Friends. In 2013, Perry spoke about his issues with alcohol and drugs and said he was winning his battle against addiction. He told ABC News in the US: “Mostly it was drinking, you know, and opiates. I think I was pretty good at hiding it, you know, but eventually people were aware. “I honestly recoil. It’s scary to look at [how I was]. I was a sick guy.” In 2017, a porn star claimed Perry pleaded with her to get him 40 or 50 prescription painkillers. Maddy O’Reilly said she received a series of Instagram messages from Perry, an ex-lover, asking if she knew anyone who could “help me purchase some pills”. The 27-year-old claims when she asked the actor what he’d be willing to pay he replied: “It depends which one (type of painkiller) is available. But … a lot.” She told the DailyMail at the time: “I am concerned for Matthew’s wellbeing, we’re having the same drugs problem back home in North Carolina, I’ve seen it destroy many people’s lives. “I would really hate to see something bad happen to him.” Perry shot to fame in the 1990s classic sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. This story was originally published in The Sun and is reprinted here with permission.