Global News Podcast – The Happy Pod: My Best Friend Had My Baby
BBC World Service | December 6, 2025
Host: Ankur Desai

Episode Overview

This uplifting "Happy Pod" episode explores extraordinary acts of kindness, resilience, and the healing power of arts and nature. From a touching story of surrogacy between lifelong friends to music’s role in therapy, a modern take on yodeling, nature brought to digital screens, and a groundbreaking statue depicting real postpartum experiences, the episode showcases global tales that inspire hope and human connection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Surrogacy and Lifelong Friendship: Georgia & Daisy’s Story

(Main Segment: 02:23 – 08:47)

• Background:

  • Georgia Barrington was diagnosed at 15 with MRKH syndrome, meaning she was born without a womb and, as conveyed by her GP, would never be able to carry children.
  • Devastated, Georgia’s dream of motherhood seemed unattainable. Her best friend, Daisy Hope, then 16, promised she would carry Georgia’s child in the future.

• Fulfilling the Teenage Promise:

  • Years later, Daisy, after becoming a mother herself (with Georgia delivering Daisy’s baby as her midwife), offered again to be Georgia's surrogate.
  • Georgia, prioritizing Daisy’s well-being, initially insisted Daisy complete her own family first but was deeply moved:

    "No, I want you to finish your family before you think about doing anything like that for me... Daisy kind of said, 'No, I'd rather us both have one than me have two and you have none, which is extraordinary.'" (Georgia Barrington, 05:25)

• The Surrogacy Experience:

  • Daisy carried and gave birth to Georgia’s baby several weeks prior to the interview. The birth was both magical and emotional, described as a "roller coaster" by both.
  • A memorable moment:

    “She said, ‘It’s a girl, Joel.’ It’s just magical.” (Georgia Barrington, 07:05)

  • Georgia reflects on her gratitude:

    “I wish I could picture this and give it to that 15-year-old me sat in that GP surgery... No one else will ever have what we have had.” (Georgia Barrington, 07:44)

• Reflections on Purpose and Kindness:

  • Daisy, on the impact of her choice:

    “It's the first time in my entire life... I feel so proud of myself, and I'm so pleased that I am a strong person and I could get through it and I did it for my friend and that's like the best thing I will ever achieve.” (Daisy Hope, 08:07)

    • She encourages others:

      “If you can do an act of kindness that, you know, really changes someone's life, then you should do it, if you can.” (Daisy Hope, 08:30)

2. Reclaiming Alpine Yodeling – The Gen Z Feminist Choirs

(08:48 – 12:11)

• Modern Yodeling in Switzerland:

  • Traditionally dominated by men, yodeling is being reimagined by young female choirs to reflect inclusivity and updated values.
  • Anna Kolbener (26), of the Utes Youth Choir, discusses yodeling’s heartfelt technique and community-building quality:

    "Yodeling is just like a natural singing that really comes directly from the heart and it can connect so many people together..." (Anna Kolbener, 09:46)

• Updating Old Lyrics:

  • The choir selectively chooses or amends lyrics to avoid perpetuating sexist stereotypes, striving for respect for tradition while advocating for more inclusive messages:

    “We really try to pick lyrics and songs that we agree with the text... As long as we really respect the tradition, also the other people will respect what we do.” (Anna Kolbener, 10:38)

3. Owl Rescue – A Lucky Escape in Utah

(12:11 – 14:02)

• Unusual Animal Rescue:
  • A great horned owl found in a cement mixer was painstakingly cared for by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary after being covered in concrete. The team carefully removed the concrete and bathed the bird daily, allowing it to recover enough to fly, though a full return to the wild depends on new feather growth.
  • Bart Riswaldski expresses optimism:

    "The long-term prognosis for this guy looks really good. We do need to wait until he molts and gets in healthier feathers so he can fly silently, but we expect that to happen late next spring, early summer." (Bart Riswaldski, 14:02)

4. Mother Vérité – Realistic Childbirth in Public Art

(17:45 – 21:46)

• Challenging Statuesque Norms:
  • A new bronze sculpture, Mother Vérité, stands outside London's Lindo Wing, modeling the reality of post-pregnancy bodies (postpartum underwear, swollen belly), created from scans of over 40 women to portray authenticity.
  • A mother interviewed on location said:

    "I love to see a real woman because we're not all skinny, flashing back to our own body as soon as we pop the baby out. So that gives that reality as a comfort blanket that I'm allowed to take my time." (Woman at Lindo Wing, 18:33)

  • Artist Raven Shillier de Clark on embracing change:

    "It was really about inverting that. And it's nothing to be ashamed of. And particularly within this context, you know, it is a moment of beauty. It's a moment of transformation." (Raven Shillier de Clark, 20:14)

  • The statue aims to be racially ambiguous for broad identification, countering the lack of diversity in public monuments.

5. Women’s Education & Empowerment on Bangladesh’s River Islands

(21:46 – 23:49)

• Community-led Adult Literacy:
  • ‘Friendship’ charity’s project teaches women basic literacy and business skills on chars (river islands), transforming their sense of value and empowerment.
  • A student, Rashida, shares:

    "Until now, I've had to use my fingerprint as a signature, as I was illiterate, but now I can sign my name... No one can cheat me anymore." (Rashida, 22:49)

  • Graduates like Chihura further learn entrepreneurial and livestock skills:

    "That has helped me tremendously. I now have three cows and two goats and generate my own income." (Chihura, 23:35)

6. Nature Therapy via Digital Screens – Matt Swack's Story

(24:27 – 27:15)

• Bringing Nature’s Calm Online:
  • Matt Swack’s viral social media videos of the Pacific Northwest help over 200,000 followers – especially those unable to travel – experience the soothing power of nature virtually.
  • Matt reflects:

    “You can share beautiful things and still grow. You don't have to shoot just, you know, horrible news and things that cause drama.” (Matt Swack, 24:59) "One of the biggest things I find joy in is taking these videos and those people being able to see them and enjoy them. And they're always saying how grateful they are." (Matt Swack, 26:45)

7. Healing Power of Music with Lang Lang

(27:19 – 30:03)

• Music as Therapy:
  • International pianist Lang Lang discusses his foundation’s work spreading music’s healing powers, especially with children facing hardships or special needs.
  • On teaching children with autism:

    "When they start playing piano, everything changes... Now I have one of my students ... talking to everyone. He's now teaching piano." (Lang Lang, 28:14)

  • On teaching from the heart:

    “A good piano teacher has to really listen to what the students need and... try to inspire them to play with the genuine heart and also to play with joy...” (Lang Lang, 28:52)

  • On personal healing:

    “But then when I start playing some beautiful music by Bach or Chopin, it just comes back to a wonderful mood.” (Lang Lang, 29:43)

  • Concludes with Lang Lang’s soothing performance of “O Holy Night.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Daisy Hope, on fulfilling her purpose (08:07):

  "It's the first time in my entire life, other than having Amelia, that I feel so proud of myself... That's like the best thing I will ever achieve."

• Georgia Barrington, on gratitude (07:44):

  "I wish I could ... give it to that 15-year-old me sat in that GP surgery... No one else will ever have what we have had."

• Anna Kolbener, on yodeling (09:46):

  “Yodeling is just like a natural singing... it can connect so many people...”

• Rashida, on literacy (22:49):

  “No one can cheat me anymore.”

• Lang Lang, on healing through music (28:14):

  "When they start playing piano, everything changes."

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Surrogacy story & emotional reflections: 02:23 – 08:47
• Feminist yodeling in Switzerland: 08:48 – 12:11
• Great horned owl rescue: 12:11 – 14:02
• Realistic childbirth statue & reactions: 17:45 – 21:46
• Bangladeshi women’s adult education: 21:46 – 23:49
• Nature on social media with Matt Swack: 24:27 – 27:15
• Lang Lang on music’s healing power: 27:19 – 30:03

Tone & Style

Warm, compassionate, celebratory, and gently inspiring throughout. The speakers and hosts repeatedly emphasize gratitude, the value of service, and the importance of changing traditional perspectives to encompass authentic, inclusive experiences.

For story tips and feedback, the show welcomes emails at globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk. Listen on other platforms or watch some interviews on YouTube by searching “The Happy Pod.”