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 (22)
1. The Secretative State - Time to Curb Its Power?
Aired 10 January 1988
2. Alliance in Crisis - Can It Be Saved?
Aired 17 January 1988
3. Homosexuality - Back to the Straight and Narrow?
Aired 24 January 1988
4. Human Embryos - A Right to Life?
Aired 31 January 1988
5. Uprising in Palestine - Anger in Ireland
Aired 7 February 1988
6. Privatising Electricity - The End of Nuclear Power?
Aired 14 February 1988
7. Third Term Thatcherism - A Permanent Revolution?
Aired 21 February 1988
8. The Future of ITV - Never Mind the Quality?
Aired 28 February 1988
9. Britain's New Party - Can It Replace Labour?
Aired 6 March 1988
10. The Tax Cut Budget - How Far Should Lawson Go?
Aired 13 March 1988
11. Families in Poverty - Ripping Up the Safety Net
Aired 20 March 1988
12. After Reagan - A Democrat in the White House?
Aired 27 March 1988
13. Neil Kinnock's Leadership - A New Vision for Labour?
Aired 10 April 1988
14. Government and Unions - Where Next?
Aired 17 April 1988
15. Eastern Europe's Perestroika - Will It End in Tears?
Aired 24 April 1988
16. The Tories in Scotland - Thatcherism in a Cold Climate?
Aired 1 May 1988
17. The Speaker of the House - Protector of Parliament?
Aired 8 May 1988
18. Ulster's Long War - A Window for Peace?
Aired 15 May 1988
19. Britain Into the Nineties - Richer, Rougher and Tougher?
Aired 22 May 1988
20. Gorbachev's Next Battle - Taking on the System
Aired 29 May 1988
21. Reaganism in Retreat - What Chance for Bush?
Aired 5 June 1988
22. Thatcher's Britain - The Unfinished Revolution
Aired 12 June 1988