‘Shark Tank’ Season 18 adds Mindy Kaling, MrBeast guests
ABC has set its “Shark Tank” Season 18 guest Sharks, including mindy kaling, YouTube star MrBeast (with Beast Industries CEO Jeffrey Housenbold), “Diary of a CEO” host Steven Bartlett, J.J. Watt, and Favorite Daughter founders Erin and Sara Foster. The new season returns this fall on Wednesdays, airing on ABC and streaming on Hulu.
For viewers, the headline is simple: Season 18 is leaning into high-wattage guest investors while also expanding its regular roster. For entrepreneurs, it’s a signal that the show’s dealmaking table now includes major entertainment and digital-business names alongside its long-running core panel.
Key Takeaways
- Mindy Kaling is confirmed as a Season 18 guest Shark, joining a celebrity-heavy lineup.
- MrBeast will appear alongside Beast Industries CEO Jeffrey Housenbold as guest Sharks.
- Steven Bartlett joins, bringing “Dragons’ Den” experience and “The Diary of a CEO” notoriety.
- Two familiar faces expand roles: Kendra Scott and Rashaun Williams are now permanent Sharks.
Who are the ‘Shark Tank’ Season 18 guest sharks?
ABC’s announced guest lineup for Season 18 includes Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) and Jeffrey Housenbold (Beast Industries CEO), Mindy Kaling, former NFL defensive lineman J.J. Watt, Erin Foster and Sara Foster (Favorite Daughter co-founders), and Steven Bartlett (host of “The Diary of a CEO” and a panelist on the U.K.’s “Dragons’ Den”).
Variety’s report frames the mix as a fresh set of “new entrepreneurs” entering the Tank, with guest Sharks spanning Hollywood, sports, fashion/lifestyle entrepreneurship, and digital media. You can read the full lineup in Variety’s coverage.
When does Season 18 premiere and where can you watch?
All three reports point to the same timing: “Shark Tank” returns in the fall, with new episodes set for Wednesdays. It will air on ABC and stream on Hulu, with the premiere date to be announced later.
If you’re tracking programming moves and renewals, you can find more updates in BlasterPost’s Streaming & TV Alerts section.
Why does Mindy Kaling joining matter?
Kaling’s addition stands out because she’s arriving as an established multi-hyphenate—writer, producer, director, and actor—best known (per the reporting) as “The Office” star and a creator with a long track record in TV. In a show built on persuasion and story, a guest Shark with deep Hollywood experience can change the texture of pitches, especially for founders selling consumer brands with entertainment, community, or media angles.
It also continues a broader Season 18 theme: ABC isn’t just rotating in celebrities for novelty. The lineup pairs fame (MrBeast, Kaling, Watt) with operator credentials—like Bartlett’s investor background and “Dragons’ Den” seat—suggesting the show wants guest Sharks who can plausibly play both spotlight and spreadsheet.
What else is changing on the panel?
Beyond the guest roster, “Shark Tank” is formalizing two investors’ roles. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter both note that Kendra Scott and Rashaun Williams have been promoted from guest Sharks to permanent cast members, joining mainstays Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky, and Kevin O’Leary.
Variety also notes a recent era shift for the franchise: Mark Cuban departed at the end of Season 16 in 2025. With the show—produced by MGM Television (Amazon MGM Studios) in association with Sony Pictures Television—still a long-running ABC staple since its 2009 debut, Season 18’s guest-heavy strategy reads like a way to keep the format feeling current while maintaining the familiar “Tank” core.