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.
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.”
More to follow.
