Big Bang Theory stars get emotional ahead of final table read

Kaley Cuoco, who plays Penny in the long-running science sitcom, shared a snap on her Instagram page of herself in tears as she read the final ever script, with another picture showing the pages covered in tissues.

Meanwhile, Mayim Bialik, who plays Amy, shared a photo of the cast hugging after their final ever table read.

She captioned the photo, “Final table read today made even this cold-hearted Scrooge a little weepy. Here's a sweet picture from last night.”

Johnny Galecki (Leonard in the Big Bang Theory) also took to Instagram to share the cast’s emotional state ahead of the read.

“This morning was not an easy one,” he wrote. “So very sad. So very grateful.”

Other celebrities reached out to the tearful cast as the final episode went into production.

Courteney Cox, who had a similar experience when Friends drew to a close in 2004, messaged her sympathies to Cuoco.

"Awww I remember that feeling… and you guys have been together even longer,” she wrote.

After 12 years on screen, CBS and the sitcom's producers at Warner Bros TV and Chuck Lorre Productions confirmed that the 12th series of The Big Bang Theory was to be the show’s last.

Jim Parsons, who plays the show’s breakout star Dr Sheldon Cooper, explained why the cast decided to end the show after over a decade on screen.

“There is no negative reason to stop doing Big Bang. It felt like we have been able to do this for so many years now, it doesn’t feel like there is anything left on the table,” he told Entertainment Weekly.

“Not that we couldn’t keep doing it, but it feels like we’ve chewed all the meat off this bone. I guess at a personal level, it feels like the right time in my life.

“It will be very, very sad when it does end, even knowing [I am] okay with it. People are okay when they graduate but there are frequently tears at graduation. It’s hard to say goodbye to people that you have worked with for so long.”

The Big Bang Theory will screen its final episode on 16th May in the States, with a British air date shortly after.

But TBBT won’t leave such a huge black hole in viewers' hearts, with the show living on through its spin-off prequel Young Sheldon.

CBS president Kelly Kahl has also expressed an interest in possibly doing a second spin-off in the near future.

The Big Bang Theory airs on E4 in the UK