Friends scripts found in bin sell for £22,000

The scripts were supposed to have been destroyed to prevent giving away the episode endings, the auction house said

Scripts from two episodes of Friends set in the UK that were rescued from a bin have sold for £22,000 at auction.

A former staff member at Fountain Studios, Wembley, recovered the season four finale drafts in 1998 when the two episodes were filmed.

Hanson Ross auctioneers in Royston, Hertfordshire, said bidders went "crazy" for the scripts, with the £600-800 estimate quickly eclipsed.

It said they were bought by an "online international bidder".

No other details were given of the buyer, but the auction house said competition had been fierce - with 219 pre-sale bids placed from all over the world.

The hammer price was £22,000 - with fees taking the total paid by the buyer to £28,864.

Amanda Butler, head of operations at the auctioneer, said "the global interest was phenomenal".

"I just can't believe the result and the impact this find has had," she said. "Bidders went crazy for these scripts."

The main cast of Friends filmed scenes for the two-part finale in London in 1998

The scripts were used for the two-part season finale, titled The One With Ross's Wedding.

Ms Butler said it was not clear who the scripts belonged to but it would have been somebody within the cast or crew of the TV show.

The seller had kept the scripts in a drawer and forgotten about them until a recent clear out.

They were sold as the vendor believed they "deserve to be owned by a big Friends fan".