Sex and the City: Samantha's absence explained in first episode of And Just Like That

The long-awaited Sex and the City reboot has started streaming on Neon in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

Warning: Spoilers

Kim Cattrall's absence has been explained in the first episode of And Just Like That.

The 65-year-old actress hasn't returned for the Sex and the City revival series - which sees Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis reprise their roles as Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York Goldenblatt - and bosses had to write her character Samantha Jones out of the HBO show.

The first two episodes have been released on HBO in the US and an early scene shows the three women in a restaurant talking to longtime friend Bitsy Von Buffling, who asks where Samantha is.

The trio awkwardly try to explain her absence, as Miranda explains she isn't dead while Carrie reveals she's in London.

Miranda adds: "She's moved to the UK ... for work."

Later in the opening episode, the pair are talking and Carrie reveals she wasn't able to keep Samantha on as her publicist due to how the book business is doing.

She adds: "She said fine, then fired me as a friend."

Although Miranda argues that Samantha's "pride got damaged", Carrie is hurt by the turn of events.

Meanwhile, David previously revealed Samantha had to feature "in some way", and she confirmed Cattrall's character wouldn't be overlooked during the series.

She said: "There is respect for Samantha, there is ... it's part of the story."

The long-awaited Sex and the City reboot has started streaming on Neon in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

The actress also insisted that in spite of Cattrall's absence, she and her castmates still respect the contribution she made to the success of Sex and the City.

She said: "We would never disrespect Samantha."

Cattrall previously claimed that she was never friends with her Sex and the City co-stars.

She said in 2017: "We've never been friends. We've been colleagues and in some ways it's a very healthy place to be because then you have a clear line between your professional life and relationship and your personal."

•And Just Like That screens tonight on Neon in New Zealand