MTV cancels ‘Catfish’ after nine seasons

MTV has cancelled 'Catfish: The TV Show after nine seasons, drawing a close to the long-running reality series that investigated online deception in modern relationships.

MTV has cancelled ‘Catfish: The TV Show’

The network will continue to air episodes from the existing library but has allowed producers to seek a new home for the programme. First launched in 2012, the show was created by Nev Schulman, Ariel Schulman and Max Joseph, based on Nev Schulman’s 2010 documentary ‘Catfish’.

The film popularised the now widely used term “catfish” — describing a person who creates a fake identity to mislead others online.

Schulman hosted the series throughout its run, initially alongside Max Joseph for seven seasons. Following Joseph’s departure in 2018, the role of co-presenter was filled by a rotation of guests including Elle King, Nick Young and Machine Gun Kelly, before Kamie Crawford became the permanent co-host.

Together, Schulman and Crawford fronted 96 episodes until the final season concluded in July 2024.

Over its nine seasons, ‘Catfish’ not only gave a name to digital deception but also inspired international adaptations in Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Its cultural influence remains visible: Netflix’s current top documentary, ‘Unknown Number: The High School Catfish’, explores similar themes, while the FX series ‘The Paper’ recently featured a storyline centred on an employee being deceived by an online impostor.

Uncertainty about the show’s future had lingered since MTV underwent restructuring following the Paramount merger. In the meantime, Schulman has begun a new chapter, recently qualifying as a real estate broker in New York.