The Happy Pod: Inviting strangers round for dinner
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 11 July 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
When Nidhi and Vik moved to Northern Ireland, they came up with an unusual way to make new friends - hosting dinner parties made up of strangers. Now the couple, originally from India, have connected with 60 people and counting. Vik says he wants to make the whole world his friends.
Plus, the Iranian father helping his blind son experience the football World Cup. He uses a makeshift football pitch to mimic what's going on. Also, a listener tells us about their chance encounter with a teacher they hadn't seen for 12 years. We go to a picnic where the only thing on the menu is unlimited cake, and the payphone in Washington DC that tells jokes.
Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.
Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson
(Photo: Nidhi and Vik preparing for their Masala Talkies. Credit: Your Pal Moments.)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:07.5 | We definitely do not have quiet days anymore in American politics. |
| 0:12.5 | Our podcast will help you cut through all the noise. |
| 0:15.9 | Make sense of what's happening in the US, with new podcast episodes arriving throughout the week. |
| 0:20.8 | America's, listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:24.2 | This is the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:33.6 | I'm Holly Gibbs and in this edition, the couple who invited strangers round for dinner. |
| 0:39.6 | So now we have four friends. That's a good feeling. It's a beautiful feeling, yeah. |
| 0:43.5 | I feel that I belong here now, which is what I was looking for. |
| 0:47.1 | I'm very greedy. I want to have the whole world, my friend. |
| 0:49.9 | How one father has helped his blind son enjoy the World Cup. |
| 0:54.4 | One! |
| 0:55.2 | To me! |
| 0:56.2 | Come in our! |
| 0:58.2 | Ronald! |
| 1:00.2 | I'm Ronald! |
| 1:01.2 | Plus, a cake lover's dream come true. |
| 1:07.2 | So I always think of cake picnic as a moment to make magic in a world that needs it. |
| 1:13.5 | So thank you all for making that dream come true today. |
| 1:19.0 | A chance encounter that gave a listener the opportunity to thank the teacher who changed his life. |
| 1:25.5 | And? I've had a lot of people say that it brings up a lot of joy. |
| 1:31.1 | I've had kids tell me like they stop by every single day. |
... |
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