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. The Government in 1985 - Facing Backbench Revolt
Aired 6 January 1985
2. The Case of Baby Cotton - Creation Out of Control?
Aired 13 January 1985
3. Neil Kinnock - The Task for Labour
Aired 20 January 1985
4. The Miners' Strike - How Close is Peace?
Aired 27 January 1985
5. Gibraltar - Staying British?
Aired 3 February 1985
6. The Miners' Strike - Peace in the Pits?
Aired 10 February 1985
7. The Soaring Dollar - Threatening Britain?
Aired 17 February 1985
8. The AIDS Scare - Fact and Fiction
Aired 24 February 1985
9. The Arms Talks - What Chances of Success?
Aired 10 March 1985
10. The Teachers' Dispute - Crisis in the Classroom?
Aired 17 March 1985
11. A Budget... for Jobs
Aired 24 March 1985
12. What Future for Broadcasting?
Aired 31 March 1985
13. Starving Africa - What Can Be Done?
Aired 14 April 1985
14. Lebanon's Tragedy - The Final Act?
Aired 21 April 1985
15. The Labour Party - Ready for Take-Off?
Aired 28 April 1985
16. The Bonn Summit - The Dangers of Deadlock
Aired 5 May 1985
17. Thatcher's Rates Pledge - Who'll Gain and Who'll Lose?
Aired 12 May 1985
18. The SDP/Liberal Alliance
Aired 19 May 1985
19. South Africa - Change or Conflict?
Aired 26 May 1985
20. England's Shame - What Is to Be Done?
Aired 2 June 1985
21. South Africa and the West - Time for Action?
Aired 9 June 1985
22. New Mood
Aired 15 September 1985
23. South Africa
Aired 22 September 1985
24. AIDS
Aired 29 September 1985
25. Episode 25
Aired 6 October 1985
26. Urban Riots
Aired 13 October 1985
27. Episode 27
Aired 20 October 1985
28. Episode 28
Aired 27 October 1985
29. Episode 29
Aired 3 November 1985
30. Episode 30
Aired 10 November 1985
31. The Thatcher Interview - The Position So Far
Aired 17 November 1985
32. Episode 32
Aired 24 November 1985
33. Episode 33
Aired 1 December 1985
34. Northern Ireland and the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Aired 8 December 1985
35. Episode 35
Aired 15 December 1985
36. Episode 36
Aired 22 December 1985