ITV COMMISSIONS TWO MAJOR NEW SOAPS

ITV has commissioned two major new UK produced soaps to be launched on ITV early next year.
The first new series, ‘Trafalgar Road’ will be a new drama for teatime on ITV produced by United Productions. The second soap, a revamp of the Birmingham-based soap 'Crossroads,' is to be produced by Carlton Productions, and will be the centrepiece of ITV’s 2001 daytime schedule.
Director of Programmes David Liddiment said: “This is a major investment by ITV in original, UK produced drama. Soaps play an important role in connecting channels with their audience. In a multi-channel age I believe that their ability to create appointments to view in the schedule will be even more crucial. We’ve chosen two strong, but very different dramas and I look forward to seeing them develop.”
ITV Controller of Daytime Maureen Duffy said: “The new ‘Crossroads’ will be absolutely of our time. It will strengthen ITV’s daytime schedule by providing our viewers with strong narrative dealing with the realities, issues and fun of everyday life. ITV will have a real diversity in daytime with ‘Crossroads’ alongside our talk shows, magazine and entertainment programmes and news output.”
‘Trafalgar Road’ is said to be a "fresh and vibrant drama" about today’s young families in London.
The new ‘Crossroads’ will be based in King’s Oak outside Birmingham, as was its predecessor, but will be a modern hotel with beauty salon, bar and restaurant.