Lilah Raptopoulos

Lilah Raptopolous is the host of FT Weekend. Follow her on Twitter here and Instagram here. Follow FT Weekend on Twitter here.

How would you describe FT Weekend in 10 words or less?
Eclectic global stories, deep but lighthearted conversations, nuanced, intelligent fun.

What is the recipe for a perfect FT Weekend podcast episode?
A perfect episode tells a small story AND a big story, like how games connect us to ancient human history, or what Cameo tells us about modern celebrity, or how a mix of proteins could help us age in reverse. It’s fun AND transportive, and draws you into a world with thought provoking questions, immersive field audio and storytelling. And it uses our global network of brilliant journalists at the Financial Times. I’d say it’s sweet and umami, like a chocolate chip cookie with, I don’t know, tahini and sea salt.

Why are you the perfect host for this show?
I’d say I’m a genial guide: when I joined the FT six years ago, I didn’t know about FT Weekend, and the Financial Times seemed like an unlikely place to come to for culture. But I quickly realized it’s the best place: quirky, creative, global and deeply informed. It’s been a delight to introduce listeners to all its best kept secrets. As an interviewer, I’m happy to have a beginner’s mind about things, but am good at harnessing the knowledge around me. And I’m an optimist! I think listeners leave our episodes feeling like they learned something, and there’s some hope for us yet.

Who are your fans? What are they like?
I love them. They’re extremely global: the biggest share are in the UK and the US, and the others are evenly split across the world. They’re smart, diverse, engaged, super curious. They send ideas, answer my questions, trust me down rabbit holes and tell me their own…I feel like they’re my friends. Some of them have become my friends.

Do you interact with your fans? Do they make suggestions for episodes?
Constantly—mostly on Instagram and email. I have a background in community journalism, so this dialogue is naturally baked into the show. They help me research, and we feature them a lot: they shared their predictions for 2022, and their thoughts ahead of our episodes on Disney and Peloton. Once I asked them to personify cities around the world and we decided Paris is sexy, New York is hot, London is a handsome dad with a nice watch, Seattle is a beautiful woman eating alone with a book and Melbourne has a mullet, a moustache, or both.

What is the episode you think people should start with if they’ve never listened to the show.
Lauren, I’m trying to not break this rule but we have a few styles of episodes so have to take you on a tour. Sometimes we'll take you on an episode-long journey—for that I'd recommend coming to Yorkshire to investigate a mysterious hum, or to find out if Silicon Valley is ruining Miami. Sometimes we interview people who are brilliant at their craft, like Turkish writer Elif Shafak or art icon Tracey Emin. Sometimes we make sense of a complex topic, like Russian disinformation or abortion rights in America. And often, we talk about travel and design and food! I love this episode with Mexican chef Pati Jinich.

What have you learned about yourself making this show?
I’ve learned to trust my instincts when the tape is rolling, and to trust my producers (who I learn from every day). That entwining my brain with other people’s brains and cracking a complex episode is the most ecstatic relief. And that loss of voice correlates directly with not enough sleep.

What have you learned about the world making this show?
That with enough work and the right people, even the most unfathomable, complicated corners of our strange strange world can be explained.

If you were going to start another podcast—don’t worry about the logistics or whether or not anyone would like it. What would it be?
Very short episodes, where my family members make fun of the quirks of other family members. Excellent content, lost to time.

Do you think podcasters should read their Apple Podcasts (or Spotify) reviews?
Good question. It’s a personal decision, but I like to. It’s data, and a helpful way to reflect the show back at you: sometimes the way listeners describe what they like about your show can help you understand what resonates and where to steer. The criticisms can be useful. And when they’re not, just breathe through it and think, ‘Nothing worth making is for everyone. It’s ok if it’s not for Steve.’

Thanks, Lilah!