People are emotional after former Blue’s Clues host Steve returns for heartfelt message: ‘I never forgot you’

‘I didn’t expect to be crying today but here we are,’ one emotional fan tweeted

Grown-up fans of children’s show Blue’s Clues are emotionally reacting to a message from the show’s former host Steve.

On Tuesday, Steve Burns, who hosted the first four seasons of the show, during which he found clues with a blue dog named Blue, before departing in a 2002 episode titled “Steve went to college,” addressed his former fans in a video shared by Nick Jr on Twitter.

In the video, which sees Steve appear in a green-striped collared shirt similar to the one he wore on the show, the former host, who handed duties over to his brother Joe, took the opportunity to explain why he left the show, and what he learned while he was away.

“Hi, you got a second? 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, this is my brother Joe, he’s your new best friend’ and then I got on a bus and I left,” Burns began. “And we didn’t see each other for, like, a really long time.

“Can we just talk about that?”

In the two-minute clip, Burns then goes on to ask viewers if they can “talk about” his departure, which he acknowledged was “abrupt”.

“I just kinda got up and went to college,” he said, before explaining that the opportunity allowed him to pursue the things that he’s always wanted to do.

Burns then directed his attention to his former fans and their accomplishments, with the Blue’s Clues host recognising all that they have done.

“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.

“And I wanted to tell you that I really couldn’t have done all of that without your help.”

Burns concluded the sentimental message to his loyal fans: “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.”

As of Wednesday, the heartwarming video, which came 25 years after the show first aired, has been viewed more than 25.2m times, and has received more than 1.5m likes.

The video has also prompted an outpouring of emotional responses from former fans of the show, with many jokingly admitting that they didn’t know how much they needed the supportive message.

“I didn’t even know I needed Blue’s Clues closure until now,” one person tweeted about Burns’ explanation.

Another said: “Realising that my abandonment issues were stemming from Steve of Blue’s Clues this whole time was a revelation I was not expecting today, but I’m glad he provided so many of us who grew up with him some form of closure.”

“I’m crying pls I literally spent my childhood with Steve’s Blue’s Clues (and all other children shows) and now he’s here saying ‘Look at you! And what you have accomplished! I think it’s amazing,’” someone else wrote.

Others joked that Burns’ return had more to do with the current state of the world, with another person tweeting: “We’re all so emotionally damaged from this last year and a half that Steve from Blue’s Clues was like ‘I have to address the nation.’”

Blue’s Clues first aired on 8 September 1996 and ran until August 2006.