Matthew Perry ‘found underwater in jacuzzi’ by assistant

Disturbing details have emerged about the shocking moment when actor Matthew Perry’s assistant found the star in his jacuzzi.

Matthew Perry was found underwater in his jacuzzi by his assistant who frantically lifted the star’s head up to try and get him some air, first responders said.

But by the time the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at the Friends star’s Pacific Palisades home, the 54-year-old was already dead, the Los Angeles Times reports.

An LAFD spokesman told the Los Angeles Times: “An adult male patient was deceased prior to first response arrival.

“The patient was found by a bystander who had re-positioned the victim where the head was out of water.

“Firefighters pulled the victim out of the jacuzzi and did a quick medical assessment to find he was deceased.”

Matthew Perry, pictured in London in 2015, was found dead by his assistant. Picture: Getty Images

Matthew Perry’s last Instagram post showed a picture of him relaxing in his jacuzzi. Picture: Instagram

While the name of his employee has not been revealed, the actor had a long-time personal assistant called Briana Brancato, who was also a very close friend.

The coroner for Los Angeles County has listed Perry’s cause of death as “deferred”, pending the final results of toxicology tests and further investigation.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday released his body to his family but could not determine a cause of death.

A variety of prescription drugs — including antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs — were found inside Perry’s home, however no foul play is suspected and no illicit drugs were found at the scene.

Matthew Perry’s death has devastated fans. Picture: Getty Images

Sources told TMZ Perry was sober and had “never been happier”, with ideas for new projects.

He was enjoying his hilltop home in Pacific Palisades, which was relatively modest by Hollywood standards.

The star bought the property in August 2020 after downsizing from a penthouse and Malibu beach home.

Paramedics also found medication for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) on the premises.

COPD is a common lung disease that can be triggered by smoking, causing emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

Perry had been open about his heavy smoking habit throughout his life and how he found it impossible to quit cigarettes.

PERRY SHARES ‘BEAUTIFUL’ TEXT WITH CO-STAR DAYS BEFORE DEATH

Days before his death, Perry had a text exchange with former co-star Ione Skye, where he told her she was “beautiful”.

Skye, who is married to Australian musician Ben Lee and starred alongside Perry in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon in 1988, shared the exchange on Instagram with a photo of the pair of them.

“Hi! I hope all is well. I was meditating (I meditate now) and ‘In You [sic] Eyes’ started playing,” Perry wrote, referencing a song on the soundtrack of Skye’s career-launching movie, Say Anything (1989).

“I instantly thought of you and how beautiful you are.”

Skye responded, “Awe. I love that Xo.”

To which Perry replied, “Hope you are healthy and happy.”

PERRY ‘FATIGUED’ IN FINAL PICKLEBALL GAME

It comes as one of the last people to see him alive revealed Perry had been feeling “fatigued” while playing pickleball — a popular racquet sport — the morning before he was found dead in his jacuzzi.

TV presenter Billy Bush, host of Extra, revealed on Instagram a conversation he’d had with the actor’s pickleball partner.

“I spoke to the woman he played with this morning and every morning,” he wrote.

“She is in shock, adored Matt … she said he had been fatigued today and over the past week.

“A little more than usual. He played for one hour, then went home.”

Actor Matthew Perry reads at the stage show Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words on June 15, 2009 in Los Angeles. Picture: Getty Images

Bush mentioned that Perry, who was a top-ranked tennis player in Canada in his youth, played the sport “every day and sometimes twice”.

“It regulated his days,” Bush said.

Perry had returned to his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles after playing pickleball and sent his assistant out on an errand to pick up glasses and an iPhone.

Two hours later, the assistant returned to find Perry unresponsive in the jacuzzi.

Actor Matthew Perry was a spokesman for the National Association of Drug Court. Picture: AP

Perry played pickleball religiously at Riviera Country Club near his L.A. area home and had a personal coach, Matt Manasse.

Manasse told People magazine, “He thought it was something that could help in his recovery and he was doing an awesome job,” saying the star played at least five times a week.

In the days leading up to his death, Perry had been spotted going out for dinner with friends in Los Angeles.

Perry was seen outside The Apple Pan, a chain of American restaurants famed for burgers and pancakes.

FRIENDS CAST, CREW MOURN LOSS OF ‘BROTHER’

As fans and Hollywood reeled from his death, the remaining cast members of Friends — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow — were set to release a joint statement about the death of their beloved “brother”, The New York Post reported.

The co-creators of the smash-hit sitcom, Marta Kauffman, David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright, issued a heartbreaking joint statement.

“We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment — not just to his work, but in life as well.

“He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.”

The statement ended with a sad reference to the Friends title tradition. “We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”

Originally published as Matthew Perry ‘found underwater in jacuzzi’ by assistant