Touker Suleyman has quit Dragon's Den after 10 years on the show, describing the experience as “extraordinary.”
On Saturday, the British entrepreneur announced he is quitting Dragon's Den after an “extraordinary” 10 years, sharing the news on Instagram.
The remaining panel includes Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett and Sara Davies.
Touker penned in his statement, “After ten extraordinary years as a Dragon on BBC's Dragons' Den, I have made the decision to step down from the show. “
He added, “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.”
Touker mentioned, “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 said he is stepping away from Dragon's Den, explaining that at 72 he is reflecting on what matters most and believes the show should evolve with “new blood” bringing fresh vision to the panel.
Touker added that his final episodes will air later this year, marking the end of what he described as a memorable run, and said the move will allow him more time to mentor entrepreneurs and focus on giving back his decades of business experience.
Concluding the lengthy note, he said, “It has been one of the great joys of my career: The fire in the Den burns on. I simply pass the torch.”
Touker began his retail career at the age of 18 and soon established a clothing manufacturer supplying to some of the biggest names in the UK.
