Irish TV station RTE is launching a Popstars-style show to find the act that will represent the country at next year's Eurovision Song Contest in Latvia.

The new show, called You're A Star, is scheduled to begin on 27 October and will run for 20 weeks - 10 weeks before Christmas and a second 10-week series from 5 January.

Auditions will take place at nine locations across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland - including Belfast, Dublin, Derry, Cork and Galway - with 100 acts initially being chosen.

These will eventually be narrowed down to 10 finalists, one of whom will be eliminated weekly by public vote.

Rosa was chosen to sing for Spain on a similar show

Viewers will also have a chance to choose the winning song, as RTE will commission established Irish songwriters to compose a selection of songs, which will be performed by the winning act.

'Long career'

A similar show, Operacion Triunfo, was broadcast in Spain to choose its entrant for this year's Eurovision. The winner, Rosa, eventually came seventh in the contest with the track Europe's Living A Celebration.

However, RTE insisted its show is different, as it will be open to both groups and solo artists.

"We want to include everyone," said executive producer Larry Bass.

"We are not particularly looking for a band or a solo artist, we are looking for an act."

"We are looking for singers that want to have a long career. There is so much talent that we want to have an open canvas."

The show is produced by Shinawil Productions, which made RTE's version of Popstars, broadcast earlier this year.

Contract

Johnny Logan has won Eurovision twice for Ireland

The winner will also be given an international recording contract, and the winning song will be released across Europe.

There had been much speculation that the format for choosing Ireland's Eurovision entry was about to be revamped, following the country's relegation from the contest in 2001.

Ireland has one of the best track records of any country at Eurovision, having won the contest seven times in total, and four times in the last decade - in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996.

Its most famous Eurovision entrant, Johnny Logan, won the contest twice, in 1980 with What's Another Year, and with Hold Me Now in 1987.

However, Ireland was eliminated from the 2002 contest after its 2001 entry, Without Your Love by Gary O'Shaughnessy, scored just six points.

Next year's Eurovision will take place in the Latvian capital Riga on 24 May.