The highly-anticipated reunion episode of Friends could reportedly be filmed later this summer after being delayed due to coronavirus.

The unscripted special, which features all six main cast members, was due to film at the end of March and premiere this month on new streaming service HBO Max.

The coronavirus pandemic put those plans on ice, however, with one report claiming that it could now be delayed until 2021.

According to Variety, however, Warner chairman Bob Greenblatt is now 'hopeful' that the episode could be taped later this summer in front of a live studio audience.

"At first we thought, shows will be delayed for a month or two at the most, and now it seems like it's going to be far longer than that," he told the magazine.

"We're holding out for being able to get this special done hopefully by the end of the summer, if the stars align and hopefully we can get back into production.

"We do think there's a value to having a big, raucous live audience to experience these six great friends coming back together and we didn't want to just suddenly do it on a web call with, you know, six squares and people shooting from their kitchens and bedrooms."

The episode will mark the first time that the six actors have reunited to film new scenes since the show ended 16 years ago.