Entrepreneur Touker Suleyman has announced he is leaving Dragons’ Den, after 11 years on the BBC business show.
Mr Suleyman, 72, owns shirt maker Hawes And Curtis and fashion label Ghost, and has been on the show, in which contestants pitch to entrepreneurs known as “dragons” for investment in their businesses, since 2015.
He is known for bringing levity to the show, and has invested in a number of businesses that have become huge successes, including baby bouncer company Little Hoppa and baked goods brand Bad Brownie.
The businessman announced he was leaving in a post on Instagram, saying it was time for the programme to invest in some “new blood”.
He said: “After ten extraordinary years as a dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, I have 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.
“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. At 72, I find myself reflecting on what matters most.
“I am proud of every deal 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.
“To the BBC, to my fellow dragons past and present, to the production team and above all to the entrepreneurs who dared to walk through those doors, thank you. It has been one of the great joys of my career. The fire in the den burns on. I simply pass the torch.”
Mr Suleyman added that his departure would give him more time to mentor the entrepreneurs he has invested in, and to “give back the 50 years of business experience I have accumulated”.
“If I can help the next generation avoid the pitfalls I’ve faced, seize the opportunities I almost missed and build businesses they are truly proud of, then that will be the most rewarding chapter of my career yet,” he said.
Fellow dragon Peter Jones congratulated Mr Suleyman on his time in the den, saying: “Touker, it’s been the best 10 years. You have been incredible and helped change so many people’s lives. I’ve loved every moment, from your very first day to your last, spending time with you in the den and after filming, talking about the day.
“Will miss you. Your contribution to Dragons’ Den and the many lives you have changed for the better is special.”
Mr Suleyman’s final episodes of Dragons’ Den are set to air later this year.
Mr Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett will remain on the show, with the BBC yet to reveal who will replace Mr Suleyman.
