The One Where An Actress Was Almost Replaced. According to "Friends" director James Burrows, actress Helen Baxendale, who portrayed Ross Geller's (David Schwimmer) whirlwind romance Emily in seasons four and five, was nearly removed from the show due to a lack of chemistry with her co-star.

In his memoir "Directed By James Burrows," Burrows stated, "Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand.

" He also mentioned that Baxendale was pleasant but not particularly funny compared to Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green, who had a prominent on-screen relationship with Ross.

Burrows emphasized the importance of humor in sitcoms and romantic comedies, stating, "The funny is just as important as the chemistry. We discovered that any new girlfriend for Ross needed to be as funny as Rachel." Despite these creative concerns, Burrows did not remove Baxendale from the show due to tight shooting schedules, as revealed in the memoir.

Burrows, who worked on the sitcom during the '90s, explained, "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." He also acknowledged the efforts made to retain performers if the situation called for it, stating, "If there's chemistry, the writers go to work to figure out some way of keeping the actor.

" Prior to Burrows' remarks, "Friends" co-creator Marta Kaufmann praised Baxendale's talent and acknowledged the challenge of integrating a new character into the close-knit cast. In a 1998 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kaufmann said, "Helen came in and was brilliant. It's a difficult thing we're asking her to do because the audience is very resistant to that seventh person coming in. But you can see her being one of your friends.

" During that time, Baxendale herself expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to appear on the show, stating that she had "ludicrous" luck.

Ultimately, Baxendale departed from "Friends" in season five when Emily and Ross ended their tumultuous marriage. Since then, Baxendale has appeared in other noteworthy television shows such as "Cold Feet," "Cuckoo," and "Noughts + Crosses." E! News has reached out to her representative for a comment on the memoir but has not received a response.