About this season
Weekend World was a British television political series, made by London Weekend Television and broadcast from 1972 to 1988. Created by John Birt not long after he moved to LWT, the series was broadcast on the ITV network at lunchtimes on Sundays. Produced by Nick Elliott and David Elstein, it began by mirroring CBS's "60 Minutes" featuring several stories each week but gradually devolved into a show that featured a forensic interview with a major political figure each week. It was presented by Peter Jay initially when first broadcast in 1972, but was best-remembered for being anchored by former Labour MP Brian Walden between 1977 and 1986. Conservative MP Matthew Parris took over in 1986, resigning his seat, and presented the programme until the series ended in 1988.
Episodes (36)
1. Privatising State Industries - Against the Public Interest?
Aired 8 January 1984
2. The Prime Minister - The Second Term
Aired 15 January 1984
3. Labour Under Kinnock - Charting the Way Back
Aired 22 January 1984
4. The Trade Unions - Facing the Future
Aired 29 January 1984
5. Standards in Schools - Joseph's Plan for Action
Aired 5 February 1984
6. Andropov's Heirs - Facing the Future
Aired 12 February 1984
7. The Future of the Falklands - A Settlement in Sight?
Aired 19 February 1984
8. Acid Rain - The Quiet Killer
Aired 26 February 1984
9. After GCHQ - The Tories Count the Cost
Aired 4 March 1984
10. The Miners - Solidarity or Surrender?
Aired 11 March 1984
11. Britain and Europe - Showdown or Settlement?
Aired 18 March 1984
12. El Salvador's Election - Washington's Crisis
Aired 25 March 1984
13. The Miners' Strike - Confrontation or Collapse?
Aired 1 April 1984
14. The NATO Alliance - Still Europe's Best Hope?
Aired 8 April 1984
15. The End of the Battle... the Start of the War?
Aired 15 April 1984
16. The Miners' Strike - A Threat to Labour
Aired 29 April 1984
17. The Irish Forum - A Step Towards Peace?
Aired 6 May 1984
18. Handing Over Hong Kong - The Dangers for Britain
Aired 13 May 1984
19. The Gulf War - Reaching a Flashpoint?
Aired 20 May 1984
20. South Africa - In from the Cold?
Aired 27 May 1984
21. Third World Debt - Trigger for a Crash?
Aired 3 June 1984
22. Social Security - Meeting the Need?
Aired 10 June 1984
23. Special: Can Thatcher Beat the Strikers?
Aired 22 July 1984
24. The Miners' Strike - A Battle for Britain
Aired 23 September 1984
25. The Belgrano Affair - Salvaging the Truth
Aired 30 September 1984
26. Labour Defence Policy - Too Brittle a Shield?
Aired 7 October 1984
27. Unemployment in Britain - What Can Be Done?
Aired 14 October 1984
28. Unemployment in Britain - What Will Be Done?
Aired 21 October 1984
29. The Miners' Strike - Settlement in Sight?
Aired 28 October 1984
30. India After Indira - Facing the Future
Aired 4 November 1984
31. Reagan and the Russians - The Next Four Years
Aired 11 November 1984
32. The Miners' Strike - A Fight to the Finish
Aired 18 November 1984
33. The Abolition Bill - Streamlining the Cities
Aired 25 November 1984
34. Tories in Revolt - The Challenge to Thatcher
Aired 2 December 1984
35. The Trade Unions - Clashing with the Courts
Aired 9 December 1984
36. Gorbachev's Visit - Breaking the Ice?
Aired 16 December 1984