Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman has uttered the iconic catchphrase, “I’m out”, for the final time – with the BBC star leaving the show after 11 years.
The businessman announced the news in an Instagram post, explaining that he had been “reflecting on what matters most” and thought that it was time “for new blood” to join the show.
The 72-year-old retail entrepreneur, whose company owns shirt maker Hawes & Curtis and fashion brand Ghost, joined Dragons’ Den in 2015, shortly after making The Sunday Times’ Rich List. The energetic investor is best known for bringing some much-needed levity to the show – having broken a number of products while testing them in the den, from a flat-pack bed to a baby bassinet.
Writing on Instagram on Saturday (6 June), Suleyman said that he had made the decision to “step down from the show”.
“It has been an immense privilege to sit in that chair, to meet so many passionate and talented entrepreneurs and to invest in business and people I truly believed in,” he wrote.
“The show gave me a platform not only to invest in leading British founders and companies but to share hard-won wisdom built over decades in business – and I hope that, in some small way, I made a difference to those who stood opposite me.”
He continued: “At 72, I find myself reflecting on what matters most. I am proud of every deal I made, every pitch challenged and every founder I had the honour of backing. But I firmly believe that great institutions must evolve and it is time for new blood to take my seat in the Den and bring their own vision to this brilliant show.”
Suleyman’s final episodes are set to air later this year, after which he plans to “mentor the entrepreneurs I have invested in” and “give back the 50 years of business experience”.
He ended his statement by thanking the BBC, his fellow Dragons “past and present”, the production team and “all the entrepreneurs who dared to walk through those doors”.
“The fire in the Den burns on. I simply pass the torch,” he added.
Toukerman will have spent 12 series on the show by the time his final episodes air later this year, having originally joined with Moonpig founder Nick Jenkins and Nightcap CEO Sarah Willingham.
During his time on the show, Suleyman has invested in a number of businesses that went on to become huge successes – from baked goods brand Bad Brownie to baby bouncer company Little Hoppa.
He became known on the show for investing in a number of children’s brands, many of which he would attempt to test on the show, as well as his catchphrase: “It’s Touker time.”
Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett remain on the long-running BBC show, with the broadcaster yet to reveal whether Suleyman will be replaced.
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