‘Friends’ director reveals true reason why one character was written off: She wasn’t funny

One sitcom that has stood the test of time is ‘Friends’, as it is still one of the most-watched TV shows in the world.

Throughout its 10 seasons and 236 episodes, there were a number of stories and a number of directors.

One of them was James Burrows, who directed 15 episodes between 1994 and 1998.

Why ‘Friends’ got rid of Emily

Burrows has now opened up on his time working with Helen Baxendale, who played Emily, the girlfriend and then wife of Ross.

He has explained why the show’s producers decided to get rid of her earlier than they maybe expected when the character was brought on.

“In ‘The One with All the Rugby’, I directed Ross with his new girlfriend and future fiancee, Emily (Helen Baxendale),” Burrows wrote in his book ”Directed by James Burrows’.

“She was nice but not particularly funny.

“David Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand.

“In sitcoms, and any type of romantic comedy, the funny is just as important as the chemistry.

“The off-again phase – the lull before the next on-again – has to be interesting and funny as well.

“We discovered that any new girlfriend for Ross needed to be as funny as Rachel.

“Often, you can’t recast, because of tight shooting deadlines or other logistical considerations.