Matthew Perry was stunned to learn how much preparation goes into developing a TV show - because he was used to just showing up at read-throughs for previous projects.
The star has co-created and written new comedy Mr. Sunshine, about the manager of a U.S. sports arena, which debuts in America on Wednesday (09Feb11).
Perry admits he found the development for the program gruelling, and has a renewed respect for the makers of Friends after learning how much work went into the show before he arrived for rehearsals.
He says, "I've learned how much goes into making a television show, and there's a lot more than I thought.
"In my early 20s... I was mostly thinking about myself. I thought the first day of a project was the table read.
"I thought, 'Well, I'm here, so this must be the first day' - not knowing that a whole year of development, of driving across town to meetings, had taken place."
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