Ananova:

Friends is causing controversy in China because the characters talk about sex too much.

Qin Mingxin, deputy director of the international department at China Central Television said: "I had thought the play focused on friendship.

"In many of the episodes, a man would meet a woman and immediately go to bed with her. This is not good according to Chinese people.

"The attitudes portrayed in the show cannot be generally accepted by Chinese audiences."

Bosses at the channel had considered cutting episodes which they considered to have an especially high sexual content.

But as many of the show's viewers had already seen the programmes on DVD they thought it would disappoint these people to cut them.

CCTV officials are in talks with Warner Brothers, the makers of Friends, to find a solution to the problem.