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Reality TV queen Julie Christie says she hasn't had time to celebrate being made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to television.
Christie, estimated to be worth more than $35 million, started working in television production in the late 1980s after working as a newspaper journalist.
"I guess I'm very proud really ... it's very nice. It's a very great compliment obviously," she said of being honoured for her contribution to television.
"I was very surprised."
But she hasn't had time to celebrate. She said her time has been taken up preparing for This Is Your Life, which will screen tomorrow night.
And Christie's favourite TV show? "In eight years I never missed one episode of Dallas."
In 1991 Christie set up Touchdown Productions, which has gone on to become the country's largest producer of entertainment television and largest exporter of programme formats.
Christie, who comes from Greymouth, sold the company last year to Dutch TV company Eyeworks, but stayed on as chief executive.
Touchdown Productions has produced many top-rating shows including Game of Two Halves, Moro Sports Extra, Mountain Dew on the Edge, Ansett New Zealand Time of Your Life, Changing Rooms, My House My Castle, DIY Rescue, Trading Places and Treasure Island.
She recently featured as one of the Dragons on the hit television show Dragons' Den.
Touchdown Productions has sold programme formats to 29 countries including Germany, the United States, France and Britain.
But Christie is no stranger to accolades. She has won two New Zealand Film and Television Awards for best entertainment programme, two Qantas Media Awards for best New Zealand lifestyle series, and a People's Choice Award for Game of Two Halves and DIY Rescue.
She also won the WIFTI-2004 award for international television achievement and has chaired the Government's screen production industry taskforce.
