After nine seasons of exposing unsavory individuals pretending to be someone they’re not, MTV has officially pulled the plug on its long-running gotcha reality series Catfish: The TV Show.

The decision marks the end of an era for the reality series, which became a cultural touchstone for confronting online deception and sparked countless conversations about identity, relationships, and the perils of digital dating. Variety broke the news on September 22.

According to the publication, MTV is allowing the producers to shop the series elsewhere. Episodes from the show’s library will continue to air.

The show was inspired by the 2010 documentary Catfish, directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman and starring Nev Schulman. The film popularized the term “catfishing,” referring to when someone creates a fake identity to trick another into believing they are in a genuine online friendship or romance. The documentary followed Schulman as he was drawn into a deceptive online relationship and chronicled his journey to uncover the elaborate web of lies.

The documentary was adapted into a docuseries by Nev and Ariel Schulman and Max Joseph, launching as Catfish: The TV Show on MTV in 2012. Originally hosted by Schulman and Joseph for the first seven seasons, the series brought in a roster of rotating guest co-hosts after Joseph’s departure. In 2020, Kamie Crawford officially joined as Schulman’s permanent co-host.

Since the end of Season 9, the status of the show was uncertain as it had not received a renewal or cancellation from MTV following the Paramount merger.

Schulman, who hosted Catfish for more than 10 years at MTV, had announced via Instagram that he had earned his real estate broker’s license in New York and launched a new career.