Rare Friends TV scripts to go on sale at Portsmouth auction house Nesbits - expected to sell for thousands

The scripts - for two episodes of internationally beloved US television series Friends - will go on under the hammer at Nesbits Antiques Auctions in Southsea on Wednesday, March 6. The documents were used for the classic UK-centric episodes “The One With Ross’ Wedding” and “The One After Ross says Rachel” which were partly filmed in London in 1998. The scripts are expected to sell for “several thousand” pounds.

Nesbits saleroom manager Daniel Tricker told The News: “The current vendor was working for Virgin Atlantic at the time they were filming the fourth-into-fifth seasons when they did the London episodes, and they reached out to Virgin Atalantic to ask if they could make a mock-up of a plane interior to film a flight scene. He was given one script at that point, and then he was flown out to L.A. to help with a similar scene, when he was given the other script.”

Last month, other scripts for the same pair of episodes sold for more than £22,000 and attracted international media attention after they were found in a drawer during a clear-out. Nesbitts is expecting a great deal of interest from buyers due to the enduring popularity of the ensemble comedy series, which starred Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston.

Daniel added: “There’s one less person in the world who wants them. But, if we can generate interest, the right buyer will see it and who knows what could happen? The joy of working at an auction house is that every day is different and you’re always seeing unusual items. This one appeals to everyone who works here as lots of us have kind of grown up with Friends.”

Last month, Nesbitts sold a script for 1964 comedy film Carry On Cleo for roughly £900. Friends has gained renewed interest in recent years following “Friends: The reunion” in 2021 and the death of Chandler Bing actor Matthew Perry last year. You can find out more about Nesbits by visiting https://nesbitsauctions.co.uk.