Mark Cuban says he’s leaving the long-running ABC series Shark tank. The question is, who could the network replace him with?
Cuban has been a shark or investor looking for new opportunities in the series since season three. The program is currently in its 15th season and the billionaire told the All the smoke podcast this week that he plans to leave after season 16.
ABC has yet to confirm Cuban’s departure, which is still some way off.
Still, Cuban is by far the biggest name on the program, appearing alongside fellow Sharks Daymond John, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary and Barbara Corcoran. His high-profile media presence and willingness to promote the show make him very valuable to ABC, which could have been caught off guard by his unexpected remark.
If Cuban does leave, the network will need an equally high-profile replacement to succeed him. It’s also an opportunity to add diversity to a largely homogenous pool of investors. While the network is likely months away from making any kind of decision, here are five possibilities to replace Cuban, whose net worth is $6.2 billion, according to Forbes.
1. Kylie Jenner
Why not dream big? One of its stars The Kardashians on Hulu, Kylie Jenner is also a cosmetics mogul and model worth $680 million. Although she is not actually a billionaire, her influence and name could prove valuable to any of them Shark tank inventors and any network would love to have a Jenner on their schedule.
2. Aman Gupta
His breakout star Shark tank India, Aman Gupta co-founded boat, a mobile device company that took off very quickly. He is known for his positive outlook and enthusiasm for the ideas presented in the Indian version of the program, a trait he shares with the enthusiastic Cuban. Gupta would share a similar hype man type role.
3. Tyler Perry
The billionaire who built an entertainment empire based on movies and TV shows has the dexterity and swagger to match today’s set of sharks. Tyler Perry famously endorses Black brands and would bring some sharp business acumen to the table — but he’s already so busy with all of his pursuits (he also stars in movies and shows he doesn’t produce or write), it can be hard to get involved program.
4. Colonel Jennifer Pritzker
The Pritzker family has been on the Forbes list of richest families for decades, and Colonel Jennifer Pritzker has an interesting story. He was a Republican donor until a few years ago, when Pritzker, who is transgender, said she couldn’t support Donald Trump (“why should I contribute to my own destruction?” she famously explained). A savvy businesswoman committed to philanthropy, she would bring great knowledge of non-profits and the military, adding to the shark dimension.
5. Camila Coelho
A Brazilian YouTube star with over 10 million Instagram followers, Camila Coelho is a self-made millionaire whose no-nonsense approach to beauty has won her legions of fans around the world. She is also launching a beauty and clothing line, and the influencer appeared in People magazine after giving birth to her first child, something she had long worried she couldn’t do because she has epilepsy. Her fun personality, great clothes, and huge platform make her a great potential shark.
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