Nearly 20 years after Steve Burns stepped away as the host of the Nick Jr. series “Blue Clues,” the actor returned via Twitter TWTR to bring closure to the original pre-schooler fans of the series who were upset over his departure.
What Happened: In a video posted to the Nick Jr. Twitter page, the 47-year-old Burns returned to his “Blues Clues” striped shirt to explain what transpired after leaving the series in 2002 following his six-year run as the human host of the animated program.
“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 said. “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? Because I realize that was kind of abrupt.”
Burns told the viewer that he left “Blues Clues” to pursue a college education, which he recalled as being “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.”
Burns then commended the video’s viewers for the progress they made in the years since he left “Blue’s Clues.”
“And then look at you, and look at all you have done, and all you have accomplished in all that time,” he continued. “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 it has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know.”
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What Happened Next: Burns closed his video message with an appreciation for those who still recalled him after so many years away from Nick Jr.
“I wanted to tell you that I really couldn’t have done all of that without your help,” he said. “And in fact, all the help that you helped me with when we were younger is still helping me today, right now. And that’s super cool.
“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.”
Burns closed his video with a bit of grown-up humor, quipping, “You look great by the way. Whatever it is you’re doing, is working.”
Why It Matters: Burns was cast in “Blue’s Clues” after the producers auditioned 1,000 actors for the role. The actor was 23 years old when the show began, but after six years he felt he became too mature for the role.
“I knew I wasn't going to be doing children's television all my life, mostly because I refused to lose my hair on a kid's TV show, and it was happening fast,” he later said in an interview.
Burns handed over the hosting role to Donovan Patton as Steve’s younger brother Joe, who remained with the series until its conclusion in 2006. But Burns’ departure raised oddball rumors that he was either fighting a drug addiction or killed in a car crash, and he made appearances on “Today” and “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” to dispel the falsehoods.
After leaving the series, Burns remained active in performing as an actor and musician, but never had a follow-up role that matched the prominence of the now-classic series. In addition to the new video, Burns has appeared in promotional spots on Nick Jr. to highlight the 25th anniversary of “Blue’s Clues.”
Nick Jr. is a division of ViacomCBS VIAC.
Photo: Screenshot of Steve Burns’ new video on the Nick Jr. Twitter page.
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