Tom Selleck Reveals Why He Was ‘Terrified’ During His Guest Appearance on ‘Friends’

Tom Selleck Reflects on His Nerve-Wracking Guest Role as Dr. Richard Burke on ‘Friends’

Tom Selleck, now 77, is sharing why he felt “scared to death” during his guest appearance as Dr. Richard Burke on the beloved sitcom Friends.

In a recent interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Selleck described the challenge of joining an established cast, noting, “Being a guest on a show is the hardest thing.” He recalled his experience on Friends, saying, “They were all up to speed,” which added to his nerves. Clarkson enthusiastically praised his performance, calling him “amazing,” to which Selleck humorously replied, “I wasn’t amazing at what they call the table read.”

When asked if he enjoyed his time on the show, Selleck admitted, “I was scared to death.” Although he had previous acting experience with Taxi, he hadn’t worked on a sitcom in a long time, which intensified his anxiety. He credited Courteney Cox for her support, stating, “Courteney helped a lot. That group’s an incredible group of friends—they became friends in life as well as on the show. It was a wonderful place to work.”

Initially slated for just three episodes, Selleck’s character, a cigar-loving, older boyfriend to Cox’s character, ended up appearing in nine episodes. Their romance faced challenges, culminating in a breakup in season 3 due to Selleck’s character’s reluctance to commit to having children. He made a return in season 6, just before Matthew Perry’s character proposed to Cox’s character.