Touchdown sold to Dutch TV company

New Zealand reality TV production company Touchdown has been sold.

The buyer is a Dutch firm, Eyeworks Group, but there is no word on the sale price.

It is understood there are no plans for job losses and Touchdown's high profile founder and CEO Julie Christie is staying on.

Touchdown was formed in 1991 and its shows include Treasure Island, Miss Popularity, and The Chair, the format of which was licensed to 25 countries including the BBC in Britain and ABC in the United States.

From April 1, Touchdown New Zealand will be known as Eyeworks Touchdown.

Reinout Oerlemans, the CEO of Eyeworks says his company is making a significant move in the English-speaking television market.

He has paid tribute to Ms Christie, describing her as a "tremendously creative TV professional who has built an impressive company with a well-known name in the international television community".

Eyeworks was founded in 2001, and is based in Amsterdam, with affiliates in Germany, Belgium and Sweden.

It produces all major sports programming for commercial broadcasters in the Netherlands, and produces one of the most popular drama series, called Flikken (Cops).

Its entertainment formats sold around the world include "Test The Nation", which has been a major hit for TV1 over the last three years.

- NEWSTALK ZB