'Friends' Scripts From 1998 Wedding Episode Found in Trash Bin, Now Up for Auction

One of the all-time favorite sitcoms, Friends, continues to hold a special spot in the hearts of its audience. The scripts for both parts one and two of "The One with Ross's Wedding," which were discarded 25 years ago in a London trash can, are set to be auctioned, as announced by Hansons Auctioneers this week. Each script carries its own unique and interesting story.

The scripts were written for the season four finale of Friends, where the cast travels to England for Ross's wedding. To prevent leaks, everyone was told to discard their copies, but a retired staff member found two scripts that were supposed to be destroyed at the TV studio where the show was filmed.

The former staff member who found the scripts shared with Hansons Auctioneers that they discovered them in a bin a few weeks after completing the filming. Their responsibility included maintaining cleanliness on set, and instead of discarding the scripts, they placed them in their office drawer. Interestingly, despite not being a big Friends fan, the staffer never leaked plot details and eventually forgot about the scripts after leaving the job the following year. It was only years later, upon rediscovering the scripts in their bedside table, that they decided to have them evaluated by Hansons.

Notably, the former staff member mentioned not having a strong attachment to Friends and expressed that these scripts would be better appreciated by a devoted fan of the show. Amanda Butler, the head of operations at Hansons, acknowledged uncertainty regarding the potential auction value but highlighted the enduring global appeal of Friends, even though the final episode aired 20 years ago in 2004. The auction house is estimating a range of £600-£800 (approximately $765-$1,022) for the scripts, anticipating the influence of the show's widespread popularity. The bidding for the scripts is scheduled to take place on Friday.