Matt LeBlanc nearly had nervous breakdown after 'Friends'

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Matt LeBlanc said he was in a dark place after Friends came to an end in 2004.

The 48-year-old actor opened up about his years-long retreat from the spotlight in an interview with the Mirror. LeBlanc gained worldwide recognition as Joey Tribbiani on the NBC sitcom, but was quietly dealing with a collapsed marriage and a sick daughter.

"For years and years, I barely left the house," the star revealed. "I was burnt out. I wanted to not have a schedule, not be somewhere. I was in a position to do that. My agent was bummed ... I'd call mine and say, 'Please lose my number for a few years.' It was a very dark time. I almost had a nervous breakdown."

LeBlanc and wife Melissa McKnight separated in January 2006 after less than three years of marriage and finalized their divorce later that year. Their daughter Marina, now 12 years old, suffered seizures as a baby, but her condition has since improved.

"I remember when my daughter, Marina, was born. The second I laid eyes on her, I was in love, and I had never felt that way before," the actor shared. "I couldn't believe it. I knew from that moment there was nothing that would ever stop me from loving her."

LeBlanc reprised Joey on the spinoff Joey from 2004 to 2006 before taking a five-year break from television. He presently plays a fictionalized version of himself on Showtime series Episodes and was announced as a new Top Gear host last week.

"I love the show. Should be fun," the actor tweeted Thursday. "I'm really honored and looking forward to working on Top Gear with @achrisevans, damn he's tall."