The Happy Pod: Surviving six days alone on Everest

Summary

Global News Podcast: The Happy Pod – Surviving Six Days Alone on Everest

Date: June 13, 2026
Host: Holly Gibbs, BBC World Service

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Episode Overview

This uplifting edition of The Happy Pod features extraordinary stories of resilience, creativity, and the simple joys of life around the world. The episode opens with the harrowing survival tale of Dawa Sherpa, lost on Everest for six days. Other highlights include a mother’s poem found on her son’s exam, a boy who can mimic over 100 bird calls, winning a Swedish island, Barry Manilow’s return after cancer, and the joyful revelation of a village's “secret” toy knitter.

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1. Harrowing Survival: Dawa Sherpa Survives Six Days Alone on Mount Everest

Segment Start: [00:00]
Key Participants: Holly Gibbs (host), Dawa Sherpa (climbing guide), Kamal Pariyar (BBC journalist), Chris Thrall (fellow climber)

Key Points

• Dawa Sherpa’s Ordeal ([00:14], [01:57]):

  • He was stranded at Everest’s most dangerous zone when his oxygen ran out.
  • Spent six days alone, eating nothing for two days, then surviving by chewing ice and some chocolates.
  • Survived hypoxia, falling into a crevasse, and an avalanche.
  • Ultimately rescued by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee while crawling toward base camp.

• Family and Community Reaction ([01:31], [03:12]):

  • His family assumed the worst and had started preparing for his funeral.
  • Relatives, friends, and fellow Sherpas praised his will to live:
    "They said that this is only possible when there is a Sherpa, okay? They were praising his bravery and his will for life." — Kamal Pariyar [03:08]

• Climber’s Testimony ([04:04]):

  • Chris Thrall describes the treacherous conditions that led to the group's separation.
  • Emphasizes the impossibility of crossing dangerous stretches without equipment:
    "That takes it from an utterly brutal ninja feat of endurance to just something else again. I mean, you're talking serious, serious ice climbing. Just incredible." — Chris Thrall [05:17]

Notable Quotes

• "I didn't think I would be alive. I thought I would perish this way." — Dawa Sherpa [00:14], [01:57]
• "It pained my teeth. I chewed the ice hard. No oxygen, but I had some chocolates in my pockets." — Dawa Sherpa [01:57]
• "What should have taken two hours, the conditions were so bad and with no oxygen took about 11 hours. Complete whiteout." — Chris Thrall [04:24]

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2. Poetry Comes Full Circle: A Mother’s Poem on Her Son’s Exam

Segment Start: [05:37]
Key Participants: Branka Lesser Di Sa (reporter), Emily Cullen (poet), Lee (her son)

Key Points

• Surprise in the Exam Hall ([06:28]):

  • Emily Cullen’s son finds her poem “Envoy and Chalk” — written about him — as an exam question.
  • Faced with the dilemma of acknowledging its personal significance or pretending impartiality.

• Emotional Impact ([06:48], [07:08]):

  • Emily reflects on how her son's childhood optimism inspired the poem:
    "The world is great. It was just what Emily needed to bring me back to reality..." — Emily Cullen [06:48]
  • Both mother and son are shocked; Emily recalls this as a “once in a lifetime synchronicity.” [08:32]

Notable Quotes

• "He said, you won't believe it mum. The poem you wrote about me came up in the paper and I said what? And he said, the one about the chalk." — Emily Cullen [06:28]
• "We do have to remind ourselves of the gift that life is and the gift of the wonders all around us in abundance amid the darkness and the dark times." — Emily Cullen [08:14]

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3. Birdsong Prodigy: Samuel Henderson Mimics 115 Birds

Segment Start: [09:13]
Key Participants: Samuel Henderson (12-year-old bird mimic), Laurie Henderson (his mother), Jane McCubbin (interviewer)

Key Points

• Early Talent:

  • Samuel’s talent began at age four, imitating a great-tailed grackle at the zoo ([09:13]).
  • He now mimics 115 types of bird calls, sharing his skills online and at talent shows ([09:13], [10:14]).

• Viral Fame and Family Support:

  • His story has spread globally, with gifts arriving from as far as Australia ([12:02]).
  • Samuel’s favorite bird is the Resplendent Quetzal ([11:11]).

Memorable Moments

• Live demonstrations of crow and barn owl sounds ([10:16], [11:01]).
• Playful comparison:
  "The British one definitely sounds more miserable, doesn't it?" — Jane McCubbin [10:41]

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4. Winning a Swedish Island: Adventure and Creativity

Segment Start: [12:52]
Key Participants: Miriam Wieskmann (contest winner), Stephanie Prentice (interviewer), soundbites from other winners

Key Points

• Swedish Tourism Program:

  • Sweden offers stewardship of five small islands for a year via an online video competition ([12:52]).
  • Winners, including German student Miriam Wieskmann, receive a travel voucher and island access for creative or personal use.

• Personal Reflections and Aspirations:

  • Miriam plans to visit with a childhood friend, seeking inspiration for her artwork:
    "I think it's going to be really nice to be out in nature because that's what gives me most inspiration for my art..." — Miriam Wieskmann [15:04]
  • The experience teaches her to try unlikely, “crazy stuff” regardless of the odds ([16:08]).

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5. Barry Manilow’s Return: Resilience and the Joy of Performance

Segment Start: [17:30]
Key Participants: Charlotte Gallagher (interviewer), Barry Manilow

Key Points

• Recovery and Reflection:

  • Manilow discusses his battle with lung cancer, seven days in ICU, and the agony of being unable to perform ([18:14], [19:01]).
  • His love for music, band, and devoted fans (the “Fanelows”) pushes him to return to the stage ([19:26]).

• Performance and Community:

  • Onstage at 82, Manilow credits performance as his happiness, joking about his unlikely enduring fame ([19:46]).

Notable Quotes

• "It was agony. I have no patience...I hated just sitting and waiting." — Barry Manilow [19:01]
• "I'm just a guy, a skinny guy that plays the piano. That's what I think of myself." — Barry Manilow [19:46]

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6. The Secret Knitter: Joy, Community, and Kindness in a Village

Segment Start: [21:47]
Key Participants: June Rose Hood (Granny H, secret knitter), Jane McCubbin (reporter), various residents

Key Points

• The Mystery of Granny H:

  • For two years, hundreds of knitted teddies appeared across the village, each with a note from “Granny H” ([21:47]).
  • Revealed as June Rose Hood, who took up knitting to combat anxiety and spread joy anonymously ([22:55]).

• The Power of Small Acts:

  • Local children and adults describe delight and gratitude for the toys and the sense of community they create.
  • Surprise 90th birthday party organized by locals to thank June ([24:04]).
  • June reflects on the happiness and purpose the project has brought her:
    "It's overwhelming and I just don't know what to say. And I think this is the best thing that's ever happened in my 90 years." — June Rose Hood [25:45]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Survival and Grit
  "Then, stepping on the snow, I stood up and looked above. I felt I could get out from there.” — Dawa Sherpa [02:38]
• Serendipity and Family
  "It's just the most flabbergasting moment... it felt like it was in another dimension." — Emily Cullen [07:08]
• Creativity and Risk-taking
  "I think it has taught me to just try things, even if they don't really seem promising at first. To just do all the crazy stuff that you think doesn't really make sense." — Miriam Wieskmann [16:08]
• Celebrating Kindness
  "No tablets, no pills...She feels like a different person." — Local Resident on Granny H [25:32]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00] — Dawa Sherpa’s Everest Survival
• [05:37] — Emily Cullen’s Poem in Her Son’s Exam
• [09:13] — Samuel Henderson’s Avian Mimicry
• [12:52] — Winning a Swedish Island
• [17:30] — Barry Manilow’s Comeback
• [21:47] — Granny H: The Secret Toy Knitter

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Tone

Warm, joyful, conversational, and optimistic throughout—spotlighting humanity’s resilience, creativity, and kindness.

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For further stories or to share feedback, contact: [e-mail]

Transcript

[Holly Gibbs]

This is the happy pod from the BBC world service. I'm Holly Gibbs, and in this edition, a remarkable survival.

[Dawa Sherpa]

I didn't think I would be alive. I thought I would perish this way. As the oxygen ran out, I couldn't walk. I didn't eat anything for the first two days. Then I began chewing ice.

[Holly Gibbs]

The man who spent six, six days alone on Mount Everest. Also on this podcast, how one mother's poem to her son ended up in his exam years later. The joy of winning your own tiny island.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I think it has taught me to just try things, even if they don't really seem promising at first. To just do all the crazy stuff that you think doesn't really make sense.

[Samuel Henderson]

And it's my favorite bird. The splendid Quetzalcoatl,

[Holly Gibbs]

the boy who can mimic more than a hundred birds. We start with the story of a climbing guide who miraculously survived alone on Mount Everest for six days with no equipment and almost no food. Dawashirpa's family feared the worst when he didn't return with his group and started planning his funeral. He was last seen on the most dangerous part of the mountain, where oxygen is limited. But then a team clearing rubbish spotted him sliding and slowly crawling towards base camp. He was airlifted to Nepal's capital, where he spoke to the BBC's Kamal Pariyar.

[Kamal Pariyar]

I met him in the hospital bed. He looked extremely happy to have new life and glad to meet his family members. He looked a little bit tired, but, yeah, he was very excited to talk with me. He never thought he would see his wife and daughter again. He was forced to stay behind after his oxygen ran out.

[Dawa Sherpa]

I didn't think I would be alive. I thought I would perish. This way I didn't go missing. I was forced to stay behind as my oxygen ran out. As the oxygen ran out, I couldn't walk. I didn't eat anything for the first two days. Then I began chewing ice. It pained my teeth. I chewed the ice hard. No oxygen, but I had some chocolates in my pockets.

[Kamal Pariyar]

He had lost his bag as well. And during that time, he had also fallen into a crevasse. Okay. This is how he explained how he came out of the crevasse and made his way safe back to home.

[Dawa Sherpa]

Then, stepping on the snow, I stood up and looked above. I felt I could get out from there. I concluded that I could do that. Then I searched for ropes. I found the ropes nearby. Then. Then I caught a rope and moved some distance. But there was another avalanche. It was likely to get bigger. Nonetheless, I Got through the snow and moved downwards. I walked throughout that night. Then I came close to base camp. There's a group called the spcc, the Sagamartha Pollution Control Committee. Its boys were going up to collect the waste. I met them. They carried me down.

[Kamal Pariyar]

Everyone is saying that it's a miracle. You know, it's been very hard for people to believe the story of survival. I got chance to meet lot of people and his well wishers and his relatives as well. They were there with flowers and bouquet and they were wishing his spirit recovery. And they said that this is only possible when there is a Serpa, okay? They were praising his bravery and they were praising his will for the life, praising the power of Serpas. And also they talked about anything is possible when there is a Sherpa alive. And I talked to his wife and daughter also. They were very much happy to see Dawa Sherpa. But they're still waiting for the answers about why he was left alone.

[Holly Gibbs]

Chris Thrall was on the climb with Dawer. He explains how he became separated from the group.

[Chris Thrall]

Dawer sat down on his backpack, as he had done hundreds of times before, to take a short rest. And as I descended the next fifty hundred meters alone, I came across the Polish primer with no oxygen, battling fairly severe frostbite. So immediately my attention obviously turned to the weakest member of the trio. What should have taken two hours, the conditions were so bad and with no oxygen took about 11 hours. Complete whiteout. All the ropes were a foot under snow. We were just, you know, guessing which way to go and that we didn't all end up in a crevasse is quite, quite a godsend.

[Holly Gibbs]

Chris also describes hearing the news Dawah was alive one day after going to see Dawah's family.

[Chris Thrall]

It's kind of crazy. One minute to be fighting back tears with his daughter and then the next minute to see him doing a Crocodile Dundee and crawling into town. It's, you know, absolutely amazing beyond words. Looking forward to speaking to him, but moreover, absolutely fascinating to know what happened. Just amazed by it already. How he would have crossed the Khumbu icefall with no ladders. Beggars belief. That takes it from a sort of utterly brutal ninja feat of endurance to just something else again. I mean, you're talking serious, serious ice climbing. Just incredible.

[Holly Gibbs]

That was Chris Thrall. Now, what are the chances of answering an exam question on a piece of work you inspired? That's exactly what happened to Emily Cullen, son, when he turned the page of his English test and saw a poem she had written about him. Branka Lesser Di Sa reports.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

Emily Cullen, a poet from Galway, had spent the morning helping her son cram in some revision for his afternoon English exam.

[Emily Cullen]

It was an ordinary day, like every other, except with the tension of the state exam that morning and trying to do last minute revision of Shakespeare quote.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

So when she met him afterwards and he looked pleased, she assumed their work had paid off.

[Emily Cullen]

He had a big broad smile on his face and I thought, oh, that's good. He must have remembered his Shakespeare quotes.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

But it was a Macbeth or Hamlet that had come up on 15 year old Lee's paper. Instead it was a poem written by Emily herself about him.

[Emily Cullen]

He said, you won't believe it mum. The poem you wrote about me came up in the paper and I said what? And he said, the one about the chalk.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

Envoy and Chalk was written by Emily after she spotted something Lee had written in chalk on the pavement outside their home. He was eight years old and the message read, the world is great. It was just what Emily needed to

[Emily Cullen]

bring me back to reality and to remind me that things weren't so bad and there was beauty all around me and lots of wonder in the everyday.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

The poem was first published as an Irish Times poem of the Week before later appearing in Emily's third collection, Conditional Perfect. But seven years later, she could never have imagined it would come up on her son's exam paper.

[Emily Cullen]

It was just the most flabbergasting moment. I kind of thought it felt like it was in another dimension.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

Leigh had also also been in shock when he flipped open his exam and saw his mother's words. Initially, the coincidence posed the problem. Admit in his answer that the poem was about him and risked seeming delusional or respond to it as he would any other text.

[Emily Cullen]

When he took a moment, he thought, well, the person grading my exam probably won't believe that I inspired the poem and that my mom wrote the poem about something that I chalked in the pavement. So he opted to respond to the question in the third person.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

Once the exam was over, the emotions sunk in. Lee asked his mum to pick him up so he could tell her.

[Emily Cullen]

I got quite emotional about it, as you would and my breath was taken away. Really. I was just kind of in a state of pleasant shock.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

Emily's life has changed considerably since she wrote Envoy and Chalk. Her own mother has since died and she's now caring for her 95 year old father who recently returned home from hospital. The world is great. Those words her son wrote on the pavement. All Those years ago remain more important than ever.

[Emily Cullen]

We do have to kind of remind ourselves of the gift that life is and the gift of the wonders all around us in abundance amid the darkness and the dark times.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

For Emily, there is no better reminder of this wonder than having her own 15 year old son answer an exam question on a poem she wrote inspired by him.

[Emily Cullen]

It's an amazing thing. I mean, what are the odds that that would happen? It's kind of a once in a lifetime synchronicity, really.

[Holly Gibbs]

Emily Cullen ending that. Report by branca Lesa di Sa to the state of Oklahoma now and a 12 year old boy with a very special talent. Take a listen to this. That is Samuel Henderson imitating bird calls. He can do 115 different types. A video of him performing at his school talent show went viral. Samuel and his mother Laurie have been speaking to my colleague Rachel Burdon.

[Samuel Henderson]

When I was 4 years old at the zoo, I started mimicking this great toad greckle that was bothering my sister.

[Jane McCubbin]

And what does the great toed greckle sound like? That is an incredible sound.

[Laurie Henderson]

We have a video of him when it happened and he actually jumped whenever it started talking back to him. It was a pretty neat moment.

[Jane McCubbin]

So the bird certainly wasn't expecting it. And from there on, Samuel, you began to look at other birds and just pick up these extraordinary sounds. Was this, was this deliberate? Did you go home and listen to different bird sounds or were these birds that you encountered when you were out and about?

[Samuel Henderson]

Yeah, both. And also I listened to them on my YouTube and search for sounds.

[Laurie Henderson]

He's always liked birds. He's always said he wants to fly and was jealous. And then he found that birds are more beautiful and had more elaborate calls as he went along.

[Jane McCubbin]

What bird have you got there, Samuel?

[Samuel Henderson]

An American crow. I can do the crow that's from, from your country too.

[Jane McCubbin]

I would love to hear a British crow. Why don't you do the American one first and then a British one and we'll see if we can hear the difference.

[Samuel Henderson]

I had the Bob to be able to do the sound because it's so loud.

[Jane McCubbin]

Okay, let's hear the British crow then.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

Typical.

[Jane McCubbin]

The British one definitely sounds more miserable, doesn't it?

[Local Resident]

Yeah.

[Jane McCubbin]

Tell me about how you use your body, your voice, your throat to make these sounds. Because even if I wasn't trying to sound like a bird, I don't think I could produce the same noise that you do.

[Samuel Henderson]

Like the barn owl. I have to build a lot of air to be able to do it.

[Jane McCubbin]

Well, we'd love to hear that. Can you do that for us? That's so beautiful. What are your favorite birds, Samuel?

[Samuel Henderson]

The Resplendent Quetzal and I really wanted to go get the stuffed animal of it.

[Jane McCubbin]

Yeah, you could go and do that. While you do that, Laurie, tell us a bit more about Samuel as a boy, then, and what he's like as a child and his personality.

[Laurie Henderson]

Samuel's always been very loud, very, very vocal. He is a people's person. He loves animals, he loves people, he loves to talk.

[Jane McCubbin]

Samuel, you've got the bird that you wanted to get. What is it you're holding right now?

[Samuel Henderson]

It's my favorite bird, the Resplendent Quetzal.

[Jane McCubbin]

And what sound does this one make? Is that you making that sound, Samuel?

[Samuel Henderson]

Yeah.

[Jane McCubbin]

That is absolutely extraordinary. What has been the reaction then from people? Because it's gone viral, not just across America, but across the world, Laurie?

[Laurie Henderson]

It has. We've actually received gifts as far as Australia. They've sent him stuffed birds. Kookaburras.

[Jane McCubbin]

I feel like I'm in the forest

[Laurie Henderson]

listening to that every day.

[Holly Gibbs]

Samuel and Laurie speaking to Rachel Burden. Coming up on the Happy Pods.

[Jane McCubbin]

I think it's lovely.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

They just keep popping up everywhere.

[Jane McCubbin]

It's very community and I love living here for that reason. She's like some sort of superhero in the village.

[Holly Gibbs]

The woman who's been knitting toys and hiding them in her village.

[Jane McCubbin]

Foreign.

[Holly Gibbs]

You're listening to the Happy Pod. To Sweden next. A country with more than 250,000 islands. So many that it decided it could give up control of five of them for a year. The online competition asked for video entries, and here's a taste of some of the winners.

[Chris Thrall]

Guys, guys, guys. You're not going to believe this. We are going to win a contest to win an island in Sweden.

[Jane McCubbin]

What are you talking about?

[Chris Thrall]

They're giving away, like, five islands in Sweden, and you just have to make a video about it and then you win an island.

[Barry Manilow]

Bonjour la suede En vous parent partez

[Jane McCubbin]

Poetry Soy Dani Latino Americana y doctoren suiza.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Do you like Sweden?

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I was actually planning a trip to Sweden when I learned of this opportunity. What do you plan to do on the island? Just enjoy the nature. I'm sorry. I know that makes me sound kind of boring. That's okay.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

You'll fit right in.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

Hey. Ich bin Miri. Ich bin Siebensfernsecherelt und elestrateuren ausdeutstand.

[Holly Gibbs]

The last winner there was German art student Miriam Wieskmann. She's been speaking to Stephanie Prentice.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

When I got the email that I actually won the island, I don't know, I couldn't believe it was true. Yeah, I think it's going to be really nice. I'm like the official custodian of the island, but I don't really have any tasks to do. So it's more like a symbolic thing. And the main prize is actually a Travel voucher for 20,000 crowns, which is like around €2,000. So I'll actually be traveling there with like a really good friend from childhood. And I think that's going to be the most exciting part.

[Stephanie Prentice]

So tell me a little bit about your island.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I think all of the five islands that you could win are quite similar in size. So there's not really any buildings on there, so you can't really live there. And I think mine is about like 9 km from the shore, so it's not that easy to get there. But people have told me that you can use a kayak or a stand up paddle to get there. And in the summertime there's mostly birds living on the island. So I'm gonna be there in September now and hopefully don't annoy them too much.

[Stephanie Prentice]

How different is this to your normal life, going from living in Germany to kayaking to your private island?

[Miriam Wieskmann]

It's really different, I think, because right now I live in a smaller city in Germany and I study communication design and I mostly focus on illustration right now. And I think it's going to be really nice to be out in nature because that's what gives me most inspiration for my art and my illustration practice. And I think spending time there and with the birds can be super inspiring for me for another project or like maybe a book or a comic or something.

[Stephanie Prentice]

What is it about Sweden or Swedish culture that really resonates with you?

[Miriam Wieskmann]

It feels to me like much less stressful than life in Germany in some way. I feel like some of the stereotypes about German culture might be true, that it's really punctual. Everything is kind of strategic and logical maybe, and it has to make sense. And I feel like when I'm in Sweden I can kind of leave that behind and just having like a more direct connection to nature.

[Stephanie Prentice]

And you said that you were surprised to win, but now that you have, what has that really taught you?

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I think it has taught me to just try things, even if they don't really seem promising at first. Like to just do all the crazy stuff that you think doesn't really make sense or like doesn't really have high prospects of winning.

[Stephanie Prentice]

You've seen the island obviously in pictures and things and online, but how do you think you'll feel when you're on that paddleboard or on that canoe and you see it for the first time?

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I'm not really sure. I'm really, really excited to see how it's going to feel. I think just taking the flight or like the train, we haven't decided quite yet to Sweden. To know that I'm going to see the island, it's going to feel really, really exciting and I think I'm just going to be really happy to actually see this island that I've talked about so much now. And I think it's going to feel really surreal to be there. And yeah, I'm also really excited to, to meet the people who live in the region and to hear their stories.

[Stephanie Prentice]

I mean, you might end up being a bit of a local celebrity actually.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

Yeah, maybe. I don't know. Like, it's really funny because actually the first newspaper that reached out to me was like the local newspaper from this town and I was really excited to give them interview and like they published it. So yeah, it's going to be interesting to see if people recognize me and maybe want to chat with me. So that would be really nice and I'm really looking forward to meet them.

[Holly Gibbs]

Miriam Wieskman speaking to Stephanie Prentiss. Barry Manilow has enjoyed a 60 year long career in entertainment. But the American singer recently had to take a break after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Now he's recovered and at the age of 82 is back doing what makes him happy. The happy pod. Charlotte Gallagher has been to meet him at one of his rehearsals.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The ultimate showman, Barry Manilow is back performing just months after recovering from cancer.

[Barry Manilow]

Feeling great. Great. Yes. Everything's all better.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

You look fantastic. It is really hard to believe that you have been so unwell. Were you scared at all during that point or did you think, I'm gonna get through this?

[Barry Manilow]

It was, it was a rough ride. It was seven days in ICU and because, you know, it wasn't so much the, the surgery that got me, it was the pneumonia that got me. I could have gone home after the surgery. They threw the, he threw that tumor in the garbage and I could have gone home and it was pneumonia that kept me in the, in the hospital for a long time.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

You're facing your immortality and then also I know how much you love performing and you weren't able to perform for quite some time. How did that Feel.

[Barry Manilow]

It was agony. I have no patience. I know the doctor said would take a while for everything to come back, but it was agony. I hated just sitting and waiting. They really did a number on me and it took a long time to recover from it. It really did longer than I thought.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Because for Barry Manilow, performing on stage

[Holly Gibbs]

is what makes him happy.

[Barry Manilow]

I like being with my band and the crew and their family. So that's what I was missing. I was missing, missing this.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And your fans are like family as well, because, I mean, they follow you everywhere. Some of them have seen you 60, 70 times. Why do you think you inspire that devotion? Because not every artist has that.

[Barry Manilow]

I've never been able to answer that question. I have no idea. I'm just a guy, a skinny guy that plays the piano. That's what I think of myself. I don't know why. I've got these wonderful people that's been supporting me for years and years, and they're. And I've met them and they're great people. They really are.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The Fanelows.

[Barry Manilow]

Yeah.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And you still get the knickers thrown at you. Is that. Do you still get the knickers thrown on stage?

[Barry Manilow]

No more.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Do you miss it?

[Barry Manilow]

No more.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Is there any kind of showgirls or showmen out there at the moment that you think, oh, I'd quite like to.

[Barry Manilow]

To work with them, or everybody would

[Jane McCubbin]

say, gaga, she's amazing.

[Barry Manilow]

She's amazing. Absolutely amazing.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

She is fantastic. So perhaps a duet album. Manilow and Gaga. I can see it happening. You might want to borrow some of your costumes, though.

[Barry Manilow]

I don't know. Let's see what this album does before we go to the next one.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Is there any chance you could maybe play a little bit of a tune for BBC?

[Barry Manilow]

What would you like to hear,

[Holly Gibbs]

You

[Barry Manilow]

know, with, you know.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Yeah. Copacabana. Take it away, Barry.

[Barry Manilow]

That's right. At the Copa.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

I feel very honored.

[Barry Manilow]

Oh, yeah.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And very privileged. I know there's millions of Fanelos out there that are very, very jealous of me.

[Barry Manilow]

They shouldn't be jealous of you, honey.

[Holly Gibbs]

Barry Manilow speaking to Charlotte Gallagher. We end in the north west of England, where hundreds of handmade soft toys have been turning up around a village. The knitted teddies come with a tag signed by Granny H. And for the past two years, her identity has been a mystery. Until now. Grandmother June Rose Hood is the secret knitter. And to say thank you, the locals threw her a surprise 90th birthday party. Jane McCubbin went along to find out more.

[Jane McCubbin]

I think it's lovely.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I've only been here two and a half years. They just keep popping up everywhere.

[Jane McCubbin]

I think it's super cute. It's very community and I love living here for that reason.

[Local Resident]

For two years, these knitted teddies have popped up all over. But little is known about the hands and the helpers behind these small acts of kindness just waiting to be found. Have you heard the name Granny H?

[Dawa Sherpa]

I have.

[Chris Thrall]

Only through hearsay. I don't know her, you know, I

[Jane McCubbin]

don't even know who she is. I think it's like maybe not even a real person.

[Local Resident]

She definitely is found.

[Jane McCubbin]

Says, I am not lost, I am alone if you warn me, please take

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

if you would like me, please take me home I'm yours to keep or give away I hope I made you smile today Granny H. Granny H. So

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Granny H, is my grandma

[Local Resident]

a legend?

[Chris Thrall]

Yes, she is. She's becoming quite famous in the area.

[Local Resident]

Famous, definitely. But elusive. Absolutely. Introduce yourself.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

Oh, gosh, I'm June. I'm 90 years old tomorrow. I just. I just love doing it.

[Local Resident]

She has made and grandson Matt has hidden hundreds of teddy bears for children to find, something she took up to combat anxiety. And it works.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

That's the lamb, that's a teddy bear. Dog, that's rabbit.

[Local Resident]

But until now, Granny H has remained firmly in the shadows. So you may never see children finding your gifts?

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

No. I can just imagine the little faces

[Local Resident]

lighting up as an anxious person.

[Branka Lesser Di Sa]

This helps.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

It's the best thing I've ever done, I think for it. Yes, I really do.

[Local Resident]

Which ones are your favourite?

[Jane McCubbin]

I only have one favourite and him.

[Local Resident]

Where did you find him?

[Holly Gibbs]

My driveway.

[Local Resident]

They're popping up everywhere, aren't they? If you didn't have it in your life, what would life feel like, do you think?

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

I think I'd be. Well, my children grandchildren might say I am now, but I think I'd be a real old, grumpy people.

[Local Resident]

She knows her teddies have spread joy because occasionally people post messages of thanks on a local Facebook page. But what she doesn't know is that many of them have gathered just before her 90th birthday to have the chance to say thank you in person.

[Chris Thrall]

Hi, Mom. Do you want to come over with Grandma? We're all ready.

[Local Resident]

Do you know what she looks like?

[Chris Thrall]

All right, see you shortly.

[Local Resident]

Do you know how old she is?

[Holly Gibbs]

19. No, 19.

[Jane McCubbin]

She's like some sort of superhero in the village. You know, in Facebook pages you can get a lot of negative stories, but this is something that's always really nice and positive.

[Chris Thrall]

It's all the kids that are following your teddies, Grandma.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

I'm absolutely shocked and surprised to see you all.

[Jane McCubbin]

Oh, it's been magical.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

Thank you very much. Is that for me?

[Jane McCubbin]

I can't thank everybody enough for recognizing what my mum does. She's got a heart of gold. She went through a tough time last year and felt very lonely, a little bit lost.

[Local Resident]

It's changed her life, hasn't it?

[Jane McCubbin]

Absolutely changed her life. The minute she wakes up, she can't get those knitting needles out quick enough.

[Miriam Wieskmann]

I think it's amazing what you do, honestly. I don't think you realize, like, how much pleasure it brings to people.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

I do. Sitting there and the time flies by. In fact, I don't really want to do the housework anymore.

[Local Resident]

No tablets, no pills, no tablets, no.

[Jane McCubbin]

Absolutely.

[Local Resident]

She feels like a different person.

[Jane McCubbin]

She does.

[Local Resident]

Proof that kindness is good for the soul. And after all that joy of giving, Granny H finally gets to receive the love right back.

[June Rose Hood (Granny H)]

It's overwhelming and I just don't know what to say. And I think this is the best thing that's ever happened in my 90 years. Thank you,

[Holly Gibbs]

June Rose Hood or Granny H. Ending that report by Jane McCubbin. And that's all from the Happy Pod for now. We'd love to hear from you. As ever, the address is Global [e-mail] this edition was knitted together by Craig Kingham. The producer was Rachel Bulkley and the editor is Karen Martin. I'm Holly Gibbs. Until next time. Goodbye.