The former First Lady Michelle Obama attended SXSW London.
Michelle took to the stage on 2 June for a live recording of her podcast, IMO.
She was joined by her brother and fellow podcast host, Craig Robinson.
Michelle Obama gave her take on everything from music to Marmite.
As SXSW London gets underway, one of the festival’s most highly anticipated appearances came from former First Lady Michelle Obama. She took to the stage on 2 June for a live recording of her podcast, IMO, alongside her brother, Craig Robinson. FACT secured a seat at one of the hottest events in town, and took note of what she loves about British food, music and landmarks.
Michelle is an American lawyer, author and public speaker who served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 during the presidency of her husband, Barack Obama. She is also the bestselling author of Becoming, The Light We Carry and American Grown. Today, she co-hosts the podcast IMO with her brother, Craig. The podcast originally launched at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.
In a humorous conversation with the audience, Michelle was put through a rapid-fire round of questions, revealing her favourite British drinks, buildings and even her favourite British word. When asked to choose between a sausage roll and fish and chips, she didn’t hesitate. She answered: “Fish and chips. Fish and chips is always waiting for me. Dinner, tartare sauce, the whole lot. It’s the best. It always hits the spot.” On the drinks front, tea won out over coffee. She explained: “Tea. Although I had a cappuccino because I’ve just come back from Australia. I’m old enough now that I need a proper pick-me-up.”
Michelle also gave her verdict on one of London’s biggest tourist debates. She was asked to choose between Big Ben and the London Eye, and stated, “Okay, let me guess. Big Ben has been around longer. It’s a historic landmark, whereas the London Eye is more of an attraction. Although the ride sounds fun – it’s a Ferris wheel, right? I’ll go with Big Ben.”
Michelle was less certain about some British culinary favourites. One of the biggest talking points was Marmite. Having never tried the famously divisive spread, she appeared baffled when audience members explained what it was. She joked, “It’s weird. I’m very confused by this. What’s going on here?” She was equally perplexed by spotted dick. She laughed: “What is it? I don’t know. The name doesn’t exactly sell it!”
Music proved a more difficult choice. Faced with selecting either Elton John or Paul McCartney for the rest of her life, she chose Elton John. She recalled: “Elton John was my mum’s favourite artist. For her funeral, he re-recorded one of her favourite songs, Candle in the Wind.”
Finally, when asked for her favourite British word, she chose one that many Britons would agree perfectly sums up the nation’s vocabulary. “‘Brilliant’. The fact that anything can be brilliant is brilliant. It’s such a great word,” she concluded. And her verdict on the SXSW London audience? “Brilliant.”
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Where: Across East London
When: 1 to 6 June 2026
Price: Passes range from £600 to £1,300
Contact: https://sxswlondon.com