Suburban Belfast could follow Wetherfield and Walford in hosting a soap opera screened across the world – thanks to an initiative to be launched at next month’s Celtic Film and Television Festival.

Festival producer Jude Sharvin believes the idea is a winner. She said: "The demise of Crossroads leaves an obvious gap in the market. The public is looking for something new and different, and a Belfast-based soap opera is bound to attract attention across the world. Just like the Festival itself, such a series would show Belfast is a positive light, so what better place to start the process?"

On the afternoon of Friday April 4, senior television producers from across the UK and Ireland, including writers of TG4’s 'Ros na Run' and BBC Scotland’s 'River City', will arrive at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall to take up the challenge of devising a concept for a Belfast-based soap. Festival delegates will also be able to participate in the process and the winning concept will then be passed on to the main broadcasters.

The 24th Celtic Film and Television Festival, which takes place in Belfast from April 2-5 2003, brings together both television and radio producers from Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and across Ireland.

The event combines screenings of 88 films and television programmes entered with a conference that includes sessions on education, Celtic languages in broadcasting, and animations.

(GB)