Times Square shut down for TV host's proposal

It's one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world but that didn't stop a reality TV star shutting down New York's Times Square to propose to his girlfriend.

Million Dollar Listing New York host Ryan Serhant collaborated with the NYPD and the Mayor's Office to close the centre of Manhattan at 7am Sunday morning for his romantic gesture.

The intersection usually sees up to 330,000 visitors a day but for this one moment it was totally empty, save for Serhant and his girlfriend Emilia Bechrakis.

"Yesterday morning I shut down Times Square and a little boy from Texas (me) proposed to a little girl from Greece (Emilia) in this crazy city called New York," Serhant wrote on Instagram.

"We had the heart of this city completely to ourselves.

"Like I've always said... GO BIG OR GO HOME."

Bechrakis said yes to his proposal and wrote on Instagram that she was "overwhelmed with emotions that are indescribable".

"Although I was never a girl to dream of proposals and wedding dresses, this one fits perfectly in a fairy tale," she wrote.

"The first time Ryan really made me cry was when he promised me that he would surprise me always and do everything in his power to make me laugh.

"That all he ever wanted was to hear my laughter.

"This time he surprised me, gave me laughter and made me cry uncontrollably."

The proposal was filmed for the next season of his show.