The One Show team had to do some fast thinking on Wednesday night when two of its star guests missed their slot due to being stuck in a lift at the BBC studio.
Near the beginning of the show, presenter Alex Jones assured viewers that Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry would be joining them later in the evening… provided they made it out of the lift they were stuck in, that is.
The Olivier winner and former QI host even posed together for a slightly bemused impromptu photo-shoot, before finally making it into the studio in the nick of time.
It was touch and go for a moment there! ????@Sheridansmith1@stephenfrypic.twitter.com/BMN8iyvpN2
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) December 13, 2023
“Santa’s sleigh ride got a little stuck,” Stephen joked after finally making it into the studio. “I think the reindeer were drunk or something.”
He added: “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.”
They made it! ????
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) December 13, 2023
After a slight delay due to a stuck lift, @stephenfry and @Sheridansmith1 are on the sofa ????
Watch #TheOneShow live now ???? https://t.co/OI7vEbLBl1pic.twitter.com/n5Xo7d1Dp4
The pair revealed they “kept their spirits high” throughout the drama, with Sheridan insisting the pair “laughed” the experience off.
And given Sheridan’s history of appearing in dramas for the BBC, ITV and even Channel 5, fans on social media couldn’t resist making the same joke during the real-life drama that played out on Wednesday night…
Starring Sheridan Smith, #TheLift is a gripping three-part drama about being stuck in a lift with Stephen Fry when waiting to film on ‘The One Show’
— Jake McBain (@JakeMC_) December 13, 2023
Starts Monday 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX pic.twitter.com/x9tl8B3ZEn
Sheridan smith with play herself, Stephen Fry, the lift and a single The One Show viewer for the full 360 experience https://t.co/a5CGvpNqkq
— Josh Murray (@JPM1a) December 13, 2023
ITV has announced that Sheridan Smith will play Sheridan Smith in Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry Stuck In A Lift https://t.co/VpwjfZ0yRLpic.twitter.com/csytQNShuy
— SHANE REACTION (@imshanereaction) December 13, 2023
BREAKING: Sheridan Smith to play Sheridan Smith in new 3-part drama ‘The Lift’ based on a true story. https://t.co/0iNnccV41Wpic.twitter.com/NtEVapVMj4
— L E W????S (@LDN_Lewis) December 13, 2023
Sheridan Smith to play Stephen Fry in The Lift, a harrowing three part true life drama on ITV, coming in the spring of 2024 https://t.co/1qxUG86PVf
— Sorcha Ní Nia (@Luiseach) December 13, 2023
I’m looking forward to the 3 part drama on ITV about the time Stephen Fry and Sheridan Smith got stuck in a lift.
— Christmas Houston ???????????????????????? (@thewayitchris) December 13, 2023
Sheridan Smith being played by…Sheridan Smith. #theoneshow
ITV casts Sheridan Smith as herself in a thrilling new drama “The Lift”, based on a true story https://t.co/MezuPliYyApic.twitter.com/z11dzK6JBE
— Lewis (@lewiisjefferies) December 13, 2023
Stephen Fry is stuck in a lift at the BBC with Sheridan Smith. This drama writes itself ???????? #TheOneShowhttps://t.co/KYDAjr3Vbw
— ???????????? - тν ℓєgѕ ???? (@bejokex) December 13, 2023
NEW: Sheridan Smith to play Sheridan Smith in 3-part BBC drama - ‘stuck in a lift with Stephen Fry’ pic.twitter.com/Gb61nYwdJs
— Matthew (@matthewbrew_) December 13, 2023
Sheridan Smith to play the roles of Stephen Fry, Sheridan Smith and the lift in the three part ITV drama "Stephen Fry, Sheridan Smith and the lift". https://t.co/oPZYHVc4z6
— Eddie Spencer-Small (@eddbot) December 13, 2023
Can’t wait to watch Sheridan Smith play ‘The Lift’ in the upcoming ITV drama https://t.co/TS8aD3vHpf
— Darren Woolston-Box (@DWooBox13) December 13, 2023
Something something Sheridan smith something drama lift something itv
— Colin (@ColinRoitt) December 13, 2023
Tweeting about Sheridan Smith starring in made up three part ITV shows is the only thing that unites this app
— JustRandomThoughts (@randomstuffxzxz) December 13, 2023
Sheridan Smith will also play herself in the ITV miniseries based around all the Sheridan Smith tweets simultaneously generated by the shared brain cell of Gay Twitter™️ pic.twitter.com/v6q5oGsvh7
— take another little reece of my heart now baby ???? (@connolly_reece) December 13, 2023
Here are some more of our favourite reactions from X (previously Twitter)…
When Sheridan starts singing Cilla songs to lift the mood https://t.co/FsS22S4YMCpic.twitter.com/chC6p7czGf
— James (@ArthurlieKillie) December 13, 2023
Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry avoiding making eye contact with each other while stuck in the lift at the One Show. pic.twitter.com/MUvkG4ozz2
— J U S T I F Y M Y L E E (@JustifyMyLee) December 13, 2023
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. This is the beginning of a sketch or play if ever I heard one!
— Flavia Fraser-Cannon ???? (@Chooban) December 13, 2023
BBC lift engineers answering the emergency phone to Sheridan Smith https://t.co/IyVw60xehxpic.twitter.com/8m40Tkcdcr
— Gene McGurk (@magawk) December 13, 2023
it's the start of a new Christmas joke surely: "Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry are stuck in a lift...!" lol pic.twitter.com/xZX3TrmunH
— Neil ???????? (@NEIL_MALONE) December 13, 2023
Sheridan was visiting The One Show to discuss (you guessed it!) her new drama The Castaways on Paramount Plus, in which she plays a plane crash survivor.
Meanwhile, Stephen is promoting his new game show Jeopardy, which is a remake of the long-running popular American series of the same name.
