Catfish’s Nev Schulman and Max Joseph Speak Out About ‘Sad’ Cancellation

Nev Schulman and Max Joseph are reflecting on the end of Catfish “as we’ve known it.”

On Monday, Sept. 22, Catfish: The TV Show was revealed to be ending on MTV following its 12-year, nine-season run, with Variety being the first to report the news. Both Schulman, 40, and Joseph, 43, spoke out about the cancellation on Instagram hours later, confirming that after years of “reverse image searches” while solving internet impersonators, the reality series has come to a close — for now.

“After 12 years, almost 300 episodes and just a lot of traveling, a lot of phone calls, a lot of FaceTimes… Catfish has officially been canceled,” Schulman confirmed in the clip, as he sat alongside his former cohost.

Joseph, who appeared alongside Schulman when the show premiered in 2012, before announcing his departure in 2018, suggested that “maybe it’s just on pause” and that he was “about to come back” before the news hit. Following Joseph’s 2018 exit from the series, Kamie Crawford joined Catfish as a guest host during season 7 in 2018 and 2019, before she was officially given the role in 2020. She announced her own departure in October.

“The point is, Catfish as we’ve known it is over, which is sad,” Schulman added. “But at the same time, what an incredible journey it’s been. First of all, huge, huge thank you to our crew.”

“First, congrats to you,” Joseph interjected. “Honestly. Over a decade on cable television, in this day and age. I mean, like, this was it. This was the last decade in cable television and you did it. With a little help from me and some other people, but congrats to you.”

Schulman then extended a thank you to the show’s crew — of which there are “too many people to list” — on their “dedication” and “commitment to making sure everything was exactly what it needed to be.”

As for the fans, Joseph added, “You guys are awesome and you’ve made the show worth continuing to do.”

“Even though I left, you still come up to me and you tell me how much you like watching it and you like watching it with your parents, or parents like watching it with your kids. It’s this family event,” he said. “And I don’t know, it’s been really heartwarming to hear from you guys and just to know what the show means to you.”

Schulman finally thanked fans for turning “what was an idea and a documentary into a global conversation” on “happiness” and, as Joseph added, “mental health.”

“Max, I’m grateful to you for really being there from day one,” Schulman concluded, before quoting the series itself. “… If we leave you with one thing, it’s this: No matter what ever happens in your life, no matter how someone treats you, no matter how angry or upset you are, never call someone a fat-ass Kelly Price. Alright?”

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Catfish: The TV Show first hit MTV in 2012, with its ninth season concluding in July 2024. The series, based on Schulman’s documentary of the same name, followed suspicious internet users as they attempted to confirm the validity of their online romances and make sure that they weren’t being duped by impersonators in the process.

Coinciding with the cancellation news, Schulman announced via PEOPLE on Sept. 4 that he was officially joining Coldwell Banker Warburg, breaking into the New York City real estate scene as a licensed salesperson. Schulman added that his time on the show helped prepare him for his next chapter.

“Hosting Catfish taught me how to listen deeply, build trust quickly, and help people navigate some of the most emotional decisions of their lives,” he said. “Real estate in New York is no different — you need empathy, patience, and the ability to see through the noise to find the right home.” 

His father, Robert Schulman, is a broker at the firm, giving his new career choice additional meaning. “After watching my father dedicate more than 50 years to this business, it feels meaningful to follow in his footsteps and join Coldwell Banker Warburg — a firm that shares the same values of integrity and personal connection that I grew up admiring,” he said.