Created by John Birt, not long after he had joined LWT, the series was broadcast on the ITV network at midday on Sundays.

The original reporter/presenter staff included Mary Holland,[1] Anne Lapping, John Torode, and Julian Mounter, with researchers Yvonne Roberts, Monica Foot, Christopher Hitchens, Paul Flattery, Mike Englehard, Jane Hewland and Julian Norridge.

Weekend World was one of the first UK programmes to recognise the importance of the Watergate break-in, which ultimately led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon.

Conservative MP Matthew Parris took over in 1986, resigning his seat, and presented the programme until the series ended in 1988.

The theme music used throughout the series run was the closing bars of "Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)", originally written and recorded by the hard rock group Mountain.