In a surprising turn of events, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has revealed plans to leave the entrepreneurial reality show ‘Shark Tank’ on ABC after its 16th season.

What Happened: Cuban unveiled his decision during an interview with the Showtime podcast ‘All The Smoke,’ reported Deadline. He told hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson that the current 15th season of ‘Shark Tank’ would be his penultimate.

Cuban, who made his debut on ‘Shark Tank’ in its second season and became a regular investor in the subsequent season, simply stated, “It's time.” Despite his planned exit, Cuban expressed his fondness for the show, crediting it for reinforcing the belief that “the American dream is alive and well.”

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When queried about his investment strategy on ‘Shark Tank,’ Cuban explained his focus on the entrepreneurs’ body language and their commitment to pitching their business. He also noted that he looks for innovative ideas that make him question, “damn, why didn’t I think of that.”

While Cuban has made his intentions clear, ABC has yet to make an official statement confirming his departure. Yet, an unnamed source cited by Deadline states that Cuban had previously hinted at stepping back from the show.

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Photo by Joe Seer on Shutterstock