The original host of the children’s TV show "Blue’s Clues" returned with a message to the show’s now-adult fans to mark its 25th anniversary. 

The show originally debuted on Sept. 8, 1996 and featured the character Steve, played by actor Steve Burns, navigating his animated house and solving low-stakes mysteries with his pet animated dog, Blue. However, in a 2002 episode, he abruptly left the show, explaining at the time that his character was going off to college. He handed hosting duties off to his "brother," Joe. 

On Monday, to mark the show’s 25th anniversary, Steve returned with a video message shared to the Nick Jr. Twitter account. The heartwarming message saw him address his absence from the series. 

"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? And then one day, I was like, 'Oh hey, guess what? Big news… I'm leaving,'" Steve recalled

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Steve Burns during 1999 "Kids for Kids" Carnival Elizabeth Glasser Pediatric Aids Foundation Fundraiser at Industria Studio in New York City, New York, United States. (KMazur/WireImage)

"Can we just talk about that?" he asks his grown-up fans in the style he used to address the camera with on the show. "Because I realize that was kind of abrupt. 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 literally am doing many of the things that I wanted to do." 

He continued: "Look at all you have done and all you have accomplished in all that time. And it's just… it's just so amazing, right? I mean, we started out with clues and now it's what? Student loans, and jobs, and families, and some of that has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know."

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Steve concluded the emotional video by thanking his former viewers for continuing to be his friend and giving him as much support and education as he gave them during the days he was on the air. 

"I guess I just wanted to say that after all these years I never forgot you. Ever. And I'm super glad we're still friends…"

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Entertainment Weekly reports that Burns, now 47, left the show and eventually made music with Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann and drummer Steve Drozd. The trio released an alternative rock album titled "Songs for Dustmites" not long after he left in 2002. However, he’s always remained proud of his time on "Blue’s Clues" and protective of its fans in subsequent interviews. 

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The video comes a week after the original three "Blue’s Clues" hosts, including Steve, Donovan Patton and Joshua Dela Cruz reunited for a video in which they sang a song honoring the viewers of "Blue’s Clues" after 25 years and a 2019 reboot.