In Emotional Video, 'Blues Clues' Host Steve Burns Explains Why He Left Show

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – On the 25th anniversary of the popular Nickelodeon children's show "Blues Clues," host Steve Burns Wednesday released a video explaining why he abruptly left the series.

"Hi, you got a second? OK. You remember how when we were younger, we used to run around and hang out with Blue and find clues and talk to Mr. Salt and freak out about the mail and do all the fun stuff?" Burns asks in the video which was posted to Nickelodeon's Twitter account. "And then one day, I was like, 'Oh hey, guess what? Big news, I'm leaving. Here's my brother Joe, he's your new best friend.' And then I got on a bus and I left and we didn't see each other for like, a really long time? Can we just talk about that? Great. Because I realize that was kind of abrupt."

Burns hosted the series, which is a ViacomCBS property, from its start in 1996 through 2002, when hosting duties were passed on to Donovan Patton. It went on for four more years before coming to an end in 2006.

In the video, posted in honor of the show's 25th anniversary, Burns explains that he left so suddenly in order to attend college.

"Because I realize that was kind of abrupt," he says. "I just kind of got up and went to college. That was really challenging by the way, but great, because I got to use my mind and take a step at a time. And now, I'm literally doing many of the things that I wanted to do."

He goes on to reminisce on the changes that his loyal viewers have gone through as their lives have transitioned into adulthood.

"We started out with clues," Burns said. "And now it's what, student loans, and jobs, and families. And some of it has been kind of hard. You know? I know you know. And I wanted to tell you that I really could not have done all of that without all your help."

Watch the full clip below: