Friends' female stars are famed worldwide

NBC president Jeff Zucker said: "This was the easiest deal we have ever made.

"Everyone wanted it to work out, because everyone wanted to be able to send the series out appropriately, and in style."

Contract talks could have lasted until May, when the current deals, thought to be worth $750,000 (�527,000) per episode, expire.

The cast reportedly turned down a previous pay increase offer of $799,000 (�564,000) per show.

LeBlanc said last month that he "honestly didn't know" if there would be another series.

Everyone wanted to be able to send the series out appropriately, and in style

NBC head Jeff Zucker

Aniston was said to be in favour of ending the show, while Schwimmer had spoken of his desire to give up acting and become a teacher.

Friends draws an average of 24.5 million viewers each week.

In advertising terms, it is second only to the hospital drama ER.

NBC is thought to charge advertisers $360,000 (�253,000) for a 30-second commercial during the show.

Advertising space on ER costs a reported $410,000 (�288,000) for 30 seconds.

Reports suggest NBC is to pay Warner Brothers $6m (�4.2m) to air each show.

That sum will cover only the salaries of the stars .

The production company will have to make its profits from sales of Friends outside the US, to cable television companies and on video.

The Friends actors are not the US's most highly paid sitcom stars.

Kelsey Grammer, the star of Frasier, earns a reported $1.7m (�1.17m) for each half-hour episode.