The sitcom hit TV series Friends has a widespread appeal that is hard to dispute, particularly when fans have shown they are willing to pay five-figure sums for a piece of the show's archives.
On December 12, 2023, the original screenplays for two episodes from 1998, The One With Ross' Wedding I and The One With Ross' Wedding II, were put up for sale by Hanson Ross, an auction house in Hertfordshire, England. The scripts were estimated to be worth between £600 (about $765) and £800 (about $1,020).
Although the buyer's identity was withheld, the auction company did state that there had been intense competition, with 219 bids submitted in advance from various locations across the globe, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Spain, Australia, Ukraine, Dubai, and Switzerland.
The hammer price was £22,000 (around $28,000) but reached £28,864 (over $36,000) due to several fees. "Online international bidder" was listed as the buyer, as reported by BBC.
"I just can't believe the result and the impact this find has had. Bidders went crazy for these scripts. The global interest was phenomenal," said Amanda Butler, Hanson Ross' head of operations.
Discovered in Trash Bin 26 Years Ago
According to Hanson Ross, the screenplays were first discovered in a garbage can 26 years ago, after the completion of production at the now-defunct Fountain Studios in Wembley.
An employee of the site, who is now 60 years old and retired, said that she found the scripts weeks after the shooting had ended, USA Today reported. Actors were meant to destroy them to prevent the endings from leaking.
"It was part of my job to ensure everything was tidy and no rubbish was left around. I wasn't sure what to do with them so just put them in my office drawer. I remember wondering which member of the cast they might have belonged to," the lady told Hanson Ross.
Not long ago, she rediscovered the scripts from her possessions and discovered a studio audience member's ticket inside one of them. She ultimately opted to have the scripts assessed at that point.
"These scripts deserve to be owned by a big Friends fan," she stated.
Scripts From Two-Part Storyline
In this two-part storyline, Ross (David Schwimmer) and Emily (Helen Baxendale) are getting married in London. Monica (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) went there to witness it. The pregnant Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) remains at home in New York, and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) stays behind, too, avoiding further drama when her ex-boyfriend gets married.
Rachel, who initially did not plan to go to London for the wedding, comes to the realization at the conclusion of Part 1 that she must proclaim her love for Ross before the ceremony.
Ultimately, Rachel chooses to keep her feelings from Ross. Unfortunately, Ross ruins his own wedding by accidentally saying Rachel's name at the altar during the vows instead of Emily's.
The two-part season finale left viewers hanging, eagerly awaiting the premiere of the next season.
