The TV show which holds record number of 1,000 celebrity guest stars

More than 1,000 famous figures have appeared on one iconic programme, earning it the Guiness World Record for 'Most Guest Stars Featured in a Television Series'. The animated sitcom first aired in 1989 and introduced fans to one of the most famous families of all time. You are correct if you're thinking of The Simpsons. Following Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, The Simpsons satirises American culture and life in the fictional town of Springfield.

There have been a staggering 805 episodes across 37 seasons since its debut in the late 90s, making it the longest-running US animated series and the longest-running US sitcom. As of early 2026, 1,075 guest stars have appeared on the FOX programme, which now averages more than one celebrity cameo per episode.

While some stars have only lent their voices to a single episode, others have appeared far more frequently. Perhaps the most iconic recurring guest, Kelsey Grammer voiced Bart's nemesis Sideshow Bob in more than 20 episodes.

Before his death in 1998, Phil Hartman was a regular presence on the series, voicing characters such as actor Troy McClure and the inept lawyer Lionel Hutz across 52 episodes.

Fans will also recognise Glenn Close as the voice of Homer's mother, Mona Simpson, a role she first took on in 1995.

Several high-profile figures have made cameo appearances as themselves over the years, including The Beatles members Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, as well as Elon Musk, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Katy Perry and Meryl Streep. Tom Hanks also voiced himself in The Simpsons Movie in 2007.

Another notable show that featured multiple guest stars was Friends. The long-running sitcom follows the lives of six friends as they navigate the hardships of their mid-20s.

Running for 10 seasons, it turned Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Matt Le Blanc into household names.

It became such a cultural phenomenon that even its early seasons attracted some of the world's biggest stars, including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Robin Williams, Tom Selleck and Brooke Shields.

The later seasons continued the trend, featuring memorable one-off performances from Brad Pitt, Danny DeVito, Jennifer Coolidge, Freddie Prinze Jr and Winona Ryder.

Seasons 1 to 35 of The Simpsons can be streamed on Disney +.