The nicest, funniest, saddest guy I never got drunk with

Simon Mills recalls Matthew Perry opening up to him in London, when the star’s addiction problems were still publicly unknown

- Simon Mills

WE were scheduled to meet, late afternoon, in the private, snug bar at the Covent Garden Hotel, Seven Dials. Bottles of fine wine, rare cognac, single malt whisky and imported Russian vodka lined the walls. No bar staff present, just a ledger and pen where guests could write down the details of their consumption and have the hotel add it to the bill. This gave me a great idea for an opening conversational gambit with my interviewee. I would be Joey to Matthew Perry’s Chandler, in a brand new episode of Friends called The One Where They Get Locked Into an Honesty Bar.

Then Perry himself walked in, hunched, overcoated, shy, awkward and Eeyore-ish. Possibly not the day-time carousing type and very definitely not fun, knockabout Chandler Bing either. “Are you familiar with the concept of an honesty bar, Matthew?” I offered, hopefully. “I am not,” Perry said, looking around the room as if it was part of some cruel and elaborate stunt.

So, I explained. “What I am saying, Matthew, is that you and I could have a pretty good time in here… and no one would know!” I said in a playfully conspiratorial tone, not knowing back then the grisly extent of the actor’s problems.

“Oh,” said Perry flatly. “That’s probably not a good idea,”