Friends director James Burrows revealed the reason Emily was written out of the show.
Why was Emily removed from Friends?
Burrows cited the performance of actress Helen Baxendale as why Emily was written out of Friends. Saying, “She was nice but not particularly funny.”
According to Deadline, Burrows’ recollections came as part of his memoir Directed by James Burrows. The veteran television director also wrote: “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. We discovered that any new girlfriend for Ross needed to be as funny as Rachel.”
Burrows went on to explain that it was difficult to recast the role of Emily because of tight deadlines: “Often, you can’t recast because of tight shooting deadlines or other logistical considerations. You need someone who gets laughs. 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… if there’s chemistry, the writers go to work to figure out some way of keeping the actor.”
Baxendale was a guest for 14 episodes of Friends as Emily Waltham between 1998 and 1999 as a love interest to Ross and eventually his fiance, though the relationship between Emily and Ross quickly went south when Ross accidentally says Rachel’s name while reciting his wedding vows. She ultimately realizes that she can’t trust him, and they agree to divorce.
