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If there was a new regular soap set in the UK, what area would it take place in?


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Old 10-03-2015, 17:44
dennisboy
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I've wondered this for a while and I'm interested to see what you all think. If there was a new regular soap on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or whatever, where should it be set in the UK? Since Brookside, there's been a distinct lack of a Liverpool soap, while the only soap set in Scotland is River City (which is BBC One Scotland only), while Waterloo Road (which I never really considered a soap) has now ended.

In Wales I believe there's only Pobol Y Cym (don't quote my spelling on that) which isn't aired here.

So if there was a new soap where should it be set in the UK?
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Old 10-03-2015, 17:48
Scrabbler
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Somewhere by the sea, Cornwall or Devon perhaps.
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Old 10-03-2015, 17:50
fawltytowers93
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Birmingham or Cornwall I think
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:04
Jody_Kelly
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Northern Ireland (Belfast)
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:05
maggiek
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Somewhere by the sea, Cornwall or Devon perhaps.
Like these choices!

There used to be a good serial drama (not exactly a soap) called Love Hurts, which was set in Birmingham (I think). In my mind, Birmingham has been done.
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:25
MediaMan5
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Yep I agree with the Cornwall/Devon idea. I've always thought this is the most obvious setting not represented in British Soap. You've got the busy up and coming southern London life, backstreet working class north, rural middle class village the next obvious step would be seaside idilic picturesque West.
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:38
Tellystar
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Norfolk
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:48
Ozboz3
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Southend!
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:49
Glendarroch
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It annoys me that the only long running Scottish soaps were set either somewhere very rural (High Road) or in our largest city, Glasgow (River City). This is a trend with most soaps. So I would go for a setting in a small-medium sized town or a large village where you could have a wide ranging mix of jobs and social classes, urban scenes and also countryside and nice outdoor settings. Many of the towns and villages in the Central Belt of Scotland would be good (and the local branch of Visit Scotland can pay me later).
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:55
GiraffeGirl
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Somewhere by the sea, Cornwall or Devon perhaps.
Wasn't that Echo Beach?

I'd go Norfolk if we're going coastal - nothing is ever set in Norfolk except Alan Partridge.
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Old 10-03-2015, 18:56
lady_xanax
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Somewhere by the sea, Cornwall or Devon perhaps.
We had Echo Beach (sort of) :O
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:14
vald
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Wasn't that Echo Beach?

I'd go Norfolk if we're going coastal - nothing is ever set in Norfolk except Alan Partridge.
Yes the North Norfolk coast...then I can be an extra.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:18
danlrwilliams
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Living in South Wales myself and being an avid soap fan as well as an employee within the media industry, I have to say, I personally don't and have never watched Pobol Y Cym, the issue is the language barrier.

Wales has some amazing sights and personally I think an English language soap situated in Wales would be a success. 'The Indian Doctor' which aired on the BBC was situated in Wales and was a huge success!

I've wondered this for a while and I'm interested to see what you all think. If there was a new regular soap on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or whatever, where should it be set in the UK? Since Brookside, there's been a distinct lack of a Liverpool soap, while the only soap set in Scotland is River City (which is BBC One Scotland only), while Waterloo Road (which I never really considered a soap) has now ended.

In Wales I believe there's only Pobol Y Cym (don't quote my spelling on that) which isn't aired here.

So if there was a new soap where should it be set in the UK?
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:19
Scrabbler
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Birmingham or Cornwall I think
Doctors is baseded near Birmingham isn't it? Crossroads was too.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:21
Scrabbler
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Wasn't that Echo Beach?

I'd go Norfolk if we're going coastal - nothing is ever set in Norfolk except Alan Partridge.
I dunno never watched it.

Yeah I was thinking that side of the country is under represented.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:22
ThaGazBoi
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Erith/Dartford.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:27
Glendarroch
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, r1ural middle class village.
You've not watched Emmerdale for a while have you??
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:30
starlet16
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Wolverhampton my home town nah I'd say Blackpool
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:35
kitkat1971
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The Midlands and the South West are the areas not covered at all now. Wales, Ireland and Scotland do have soaps even though they aren't shown nationally. Emmerdale and Corrie cover the North of England reasonably well although one firther up, tyneside for example might be nice.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:36
kitkat1971
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I doubt anybody not from London or Kent (or Essex) would detect any difference accent wise from EE.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:37
NoughtiesMusic
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Somewhere in the West Country or East Anglia.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:38
kitkat1971
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Doctors is baseded near Birmingham isn't it? Crossroads was too.
Oh I'd forgotten about Doctors - the Midlands is covered then.

So, i'd say one oc the coasts, Norfolk, Cornwall or even Somerset or Dorset.

Last soap i can think of set in an area like that was Howards Way.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:46
kitkat1971
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It annoys me that the only long running Scottish soaps were set either somewhere very rural (High Road) or in our largest city, Glasgow (River City). This is a trend with most soaps. So I would go for a setting in a small-medium sized town or a large village where you could have a wide ranging mix of jobs and social classes, urban scenes and also countryside and nice outdoor settings. Many of the towns and villages in the Central Belt of Scotland would be good (and the local branch of Visit Scotland can pay me later).
Yes that is true of all Soaps really - look at the successful English soaps - first big one set i Greater Manchester (3rd largest city), 2nd set in Birmingham (2nd largest city), 3rd one set in rural Yorkshire (slight change in feel but pretty close to Leeds), 4th one Liverpool which was the 4th largest city i think then finally EE in London - the capital.

Howards way was near southampton but that was due to the sailing element and Family Affairs was originally supposed to be Home counties area - so the affluent belt about 20 miles from London - to the West i think though i'm not sure they specified. Then they moved it closer in so it had a Tube.
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:50
GeekInfected
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I was just thinking this!

I also agree with those who have said around the West Country
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Old 10-03-2015, 19:59
zerothehero
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Id love a newcastle soap or a english speaking welsh soap
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