Jennifer Aniston is currently promoting her highly-anticipated new TV series, The Morning Show. Starring alongside fellow Hollywood icon Reese Witherspoon, the two actors play ambitious and aspirational morning television journalists. Although the Apple Original Series isn’t available to stream until 1 November, it has already been commissioned a second season. It’s clearly a big deal, and we have a million questions about making a show that feels so vital in this time of fake news, #metoo and social media.

And yet, Aniston is still being asked about her personal relationships during promotional interviews, because people still can’t seem to get past the ‘sad Jen’ rhetoric.

Speaking to Howard Stern on SiriusXM, Aniston was asked if she has been dating anyone since her split from former husband Justin Theroux in 2017.

Giving a succinctly savage reply that aimed to bring the interview back to being about her career, she said: “I’m very busy. For now. I’m promoting [The Morning Show]. I’m prepping for next season.”

But Stern continued to probe her about being single, asking if she wanted to be set up with someone.

Aniston once again expertly replied: “Not right now. But listen, I just don’t like being set up. I don’t like it. Hate it.”

The message was loud and clear: the hugely successful actor doesn’t want or need any help with her relationships, thank you very much. 

Putting the intrusive comments and questions to one side, Aniston continued to talk about the Friends reunion she had with fellow stars Courteney Cox and Matt Le Blanc last week. 

Cox uploaded a photo of the moment they all got together for the 25th anniversary celebrations. Aniston explained that all the Friends gang were actually at the “rare night”.

“We all happened to have a window of time so we all got together,” she said. “We laughed so hard.” 

She also addressed a reunion TV show, adding: “We all miss it every day. I would be nothing without it […] If there’s a reboot of the show, it won’t as good as what it was so why do it? It would ruin it.” 

Of course, Aniston is no stranger to scrutiny under the tabloid eye. Just last week, the rumoured feud between her and Chelsea Handler resurfaced after a new interview. 

Speaking to The Project about fake tabloid headlines surrounding the pair, Handler said: “Don’t read those magazines! Don’t believe any of it! We’re friends. Don’t worry… I love Jen.”

Aniston has also addressed the obsession with her personal life before, in a self-penned article for Huffington Post in 2016. 

For the record, I am not pregnant,” she wrote. “What I am is fed up. I’m fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of ‘journalism’, the ‘First Amendment’ and ‘celebrity news’.”

She added: “I used to tell myself that tabloids were like comic books, not to be taken seriously, just a soap opera for people to follow when they need a distraction. But I really can’t tell myself that anymore because the reality is the stalking and objectification I’ve experienced first-hand, going on decades now, reflects the warped way we calculate a woman’s worth.”

That’s why, right now, the only thing we’re bothered about is seeing the first episode of The Morning Show. 

Images: Getty