A tantalising rumour that on-again, off-again TV couple Ross and Rachel had finally ended up together in real life has ended in heartbreak for fans.

Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer were rumoured to be dating after some shock revelations during a long-awaited reunion episode of hit sitcom Friends.

During an interview with James Cordon, Schwimmer – who played awkward but loveable palaeontologist Ross Geller on the show – revealed his feelings for his onscreen love interest had spilled into real life.

The 54-year-old actor admitted he had a “major crush” on Aniston, who played his sweet but fairly self-involved friend Rachel Green.

And the studio audience let out an audible sigh – or maybe that was in our living rooms – as Aniston, 52, confirmed those feelings were “reciprocated”.

The Morning Show star said the crush was definitely mutual and revealed they had joked at the time about their first kiss being on TV.

“I remember saying at one point to David, ‘It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is … on national television!’ Sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop,” Aniston said during the Friends reunion.

“At some point we were both crushing hard on each other – but it was like two ships passing, because one of us was always in a relationship,” Schwimmer said.

Both maintained they had never cheated on their significant others, with Schwimmer saying they had never “crossed that boundary”.

“We just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel,” Aniston said.

The world’s most notorious gossip merchant – an ‘unknown source’ – later kicked an already idling rumour mill into overdrive, telling Closer magazine the reunion episode had “stirred up feelings” between the co-stars.

“They began texting immediately after filming and, just last month, David flew from his home in New York to see Jen in LA,” the source claimed.

The insider added that Aniston had been “cooking dinners” for Schwimmer at her place and said they’d been spotted visiting a Santa Barbara vineyard together.

She’s your lobster

A couple of Instagram posts in which the friends had tagged one another added fuel to the fire – although both were promoting a line of Friends merchandise.

The internet was in uproar when Aniston placed a tag to Schwimmer on a cap that says: “We were so not on a break!”

The quote refers to an onscreen argument between the pair that launched real-life arguments in living rooms all over the world. Is it cheating if you’ve just broken up with someone?

Further proof – if we can call it that – was found in Schwimmer’s social media activity.

He tagged Aniston in a photo where he is wearing a T-shirt featuring a picture of them together with the significant word: ‘Lobsters’.

It hails back to an episode in season two, episode 14: The One with the Prom Video. In the scene, their friend Phoebe Buffay – played by Lisa Kudrow –  tells Ross that he and Rachel are meant to be together.

Love life D.O.A.

But, alas, a representative for Schwimmer has shut down the delightful escapade, telling the UK Sun there is “no truth” to it. Can’t argue with that.

Aniston has also been rumoured to be getting back together with her ex-husband Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt.

The couple divorced in 2005 and according to her representatives, there’s no truth to that juicy piece of gossip either.