Friends director shares the guest star he struggled to work with the most because she 'wasn't funny'

If you’re a fan of the hit television show Friends, you may not know a little-known secret from behind-the-scenes which will shock you.

Or not, because let’s face it - the character this refers to was the worst.

According to a director of Friends, there was one guest star he struggled to work with the most due to them simply 'not being funny'.

Could he BE any more judgy?

Any fan of the 90s' sitcom will know that there has been a plethora of famous guest stars who made hilarious cameo appearances during its decade-long reign.

From the likes of the deranged Ben Stiller to hermaphrodite rumour-spreading Brad Pitt, as well as Robin Williams and cry-baby Bruce Willis, all the guest stars made their own unique marks on the sitcom.

But, according to director James Burrows, it was guest star Helen Baxendale that he found the hardest to work with due to her 'not being funny'.

Helen played Emily for 14 episodes. NBC

If you don’t already know, Baxendale played one (of the many) girlfriends of Ross Geller (David Schwimmer).

Jeez, there was Carol, Rachel, Julie, Emily… who else?

Appearing as the British bombshell Emily Waltham in 14 episodes, the romance between the two was short lived due to Ross saying Rachel's name (Jennifer Aniston) at the altar during their wedding in London.

It’s been over two decades, and we still cringe when we watch it.

While Baxendale's short stint on Friends was mostly down to her becoming pregnant, Burrows revealed how difficult it was on set for the other actors to 'bounce off her'.

In his new memoir, directed by James Burrows, he recalled of the episode 'The One with All the Rugby': "She was nice but not particularly funny. Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand."

Burrows went on: "In sitcoms and any type of romantic comedy, the funny is just as important as the chemistry. We discovered that any new girlfriend for Ross needed to be as funny as Rachel.

Emily married Ross and swiftly divorced him. NBC

"Often, you can't recast, because of tight shooting deadlines or other logistical considerations. You don't cast anyone to be a straw man, unless it's for one episode."

The director explained how 'you need someone who gets laughs'.

He said: "Sometimes you start an arc and it ain't working out, so you have to get rid of that person. If it's a day player, it's a quick goodbye.

"The reverse is also true. If there's chemistry, the writers go to work to figure out some way of keeping the actor."

Baxendale happily discussed her time on the sitcom several times, with her once referring to it as a 'surreal little blip' in her life.

Rick Kern/Contributor

Speaking to The Mirror back in 2012, she said: "I look upon it as a strange surreal little blip in my life almost like a dream."

She also spoke highly of the Friends cast, adding: "They were all very nice and professional. We were never great mates though.

"People expect because it is called Friends that everyone was great friends, but they were real professionals. They'd been doing it for years and I was one of many guest stars to appear."

Topics: Friends, Jennifer Aniston, Film and TV

Britt Jones