The long-standing TV programme, Catfish, has been axed by MTV after over a decade on air, reports the Mirror.

First gracing our screens in 2012, the reality series became a household name, inspiring spin-offs, international versions and even sparking other documentaries on the subject, including on Netflix.

Variety reports that the show has been dropped by MTV, with insiders suggesting that producers may seek another network to keep the series alive. In the meantime, reruns of Catfish will continue to be broadcast on MTV.

The reality series was born out of the 2010 factual film of the same name by documentarian Nev Schulman.

Each episode followed an individual attempting to uncover the true identity of their online love interest, trying to determine whether their romance was real or if they'd fallen victim to a catfish

The hopeful participant and the suspected catfish would have never met in person, only communicating online until the show brought them face-to-face.

There were heart-wrenching moments where the hopeful had to confront the harsh reality of who they were really talking to beyond the screen.

However, there were also instances where genuine romances blossomed thanks to the series.

Over the years, Catfish was hosted by a variety of presenters, including Schulman, Max Joseph and Kamie Crawford.

The inaugural seven series were helmed by Schulman and Joseph, with the latter departing and guest presenters stepping in, including vocalist Elle King, model Selita Ebanks, basketball star Nick Young, actress Kimiko Glenn, model Slick Woods, actress Tallulah Willis, and rapper Machine Gun Kelly.

Throughout its tenure, Catfish graced television screens from 2012 to 2024 and amassed a staggering 242 episodes during this period.

According to producer Michael Esposito via AfterBuzz TV, at its peak Catfish would attract over 100 applications daily from eager participants hoping to feature on the programme and discover the true identity of their online companion.

Schulman and Joseph shared a video on Instagram announcing the axing and looked back on their Catfish adventure.

The pair declared: "Catfish has officially been cancelled. Sorry."

Joseph remarked: "Yeah, but maybe it's just on pause" and disclosed he was "about to come back" to the reality programme before the axing.

Schulman went on: "The point is: Catfish as we know it is over, which is sad but at the same time, what an incredible journey it's been. First of all, a huge, huge thank you to our crew."

He commended their "dedication and patience" and described them as "family" and his closest mates.

The pair celebrated the "awesome" supporters and Joseph said it was "heartwarming" to receive messages from audiences, explaining they transformed the documentary into a "global conversation".

Joseph also praised his former co-host for Catfish's achievements: "Over a decade on cable television in this day and age. I mean this was it, the last decade in cable television and you did it."

Catfish is streaming on Pluto TV in the UK and on MTV in the USA