The One Show was left in chaos after guests Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry got stuck in a lift moments before their appearance.
Hosts Alex Jones and Ronan Keating, both 46, were forced to improvise when, midway through the BBC broadcast on Wednesday (13 December), they discovered the pair were unable to make it to the sofa.
“Now then, we are having a night here because Stephen Fry, 66, and Sheridan Smith, 42, are due on this sofa,” Jones said, adding: “Obviously it’s a live programme. They are stuck in the lift. So, for the time being, we will go onto a film.”
She assured fans they were “in good spirits”, with Keating telling viewers: “Hopefully they’ll be here before the end of the programme.”
Fortunately for producers, the lift whirred back into action in time for the pair to make it to the show albeit five minutes later than planned.
Speaking about the fleeting ordeal, Fry said: “Santa’s sleigh ride got a little stuck. I think the reindeer were drunk. Usually if I get stuck in a lift, I assume it’s my weight but this is a goods lift so I don’t know what went wrong. We kept our spirits high, didn’t we?
Smith agreed, saying: “We kept laughing.”
Viewers found the debacle hilarious. “Omg, The One Show just apologised to viewers that Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry aren’t on the sofa yet because they are stuck in a lift.” Casting suspicion on whether or not it was “staged”, they added: “This is the beginning of a sketch or play if ever I heard one!”
Another viewer said they were “obsessed with Sheridan Smith being stuck in The One Show lift”.
Others joked ITV would probably make a drama series about the event in a reference to the fact that Smith has made a large quantity of shows for the channel in the past, including Mrs Biggs, The Widower and Cilla.
Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry shared a selfie after getting stuck in a lift— (X/Twitter)
Earlier this week, Jason Momoa appeared on The One Show, and was criticised for his “rude” treatment of fellow guest Nigella Lawson.
The Hollywood star, who was promoting DC sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, spent the majority of his appearance on the series sat with his back to the celebrity chef.
Many noticed the “awkward body language”, with one person writing: “Never really been a fan of Jason, but now definitely not a fan the way he has his back to Nigella!”
