Steve from Blue's Clues opens up about his departure from the series. The original host of the Nick Jr. series, Steve Burns, known as Steve, was the face of Blue's Clues from 1996 to 2002. Steve served as the live-action owner to the beloved animated blue-spotted dog called Blue, following the paw-print clues that she left for him to discover her messages. The actor, who was 22 when the series premiered, left the show after four seasons to pursue college, with Joe (Donovan Patton) replacing him as host. Despite the explanation about college given in the finale, many have felt over the years that there was more to Steve's abrupt exit from the series.

During a conversation with Variety, Burns spoke earnestly about his fateful decision to leave Blue's Clues. When Steve exited Blue's Clues, viewers that had grown up with the series wondered about his absence, with rumors about the actor's death persisting in the wake of his departure. The actor pointed to his age as a major factor, since he was starting to lose his hair as he approached 30 and preferred to shave his head rather than wear a wig for the series. Burns also revealed that his departure from the show was necessary due to mental health reasons. See what he had to say below:

“I wasn’t going to be boyish anymore. I didn’t know it yet, but I was the happiest depressed person in North America. I was struggling with severe clinical depression the whole time I was on that show. It was my job to be utterly and completely full of joy and wonder at all times, and that became impossible. I was always able to dig and find something that felt authentic to me that was good enough to be on the show, but after years and years of going to the well without replenishing it, there was a cost. My strategy had been: ‘Hey, you got a great thing going, so just fight it!’ Turns out, you don’t fight depression; you collect it. After I left ‘Blue’s Clues,’ there was a long period of healing. It wasn’t until the death of my father that I really started to take things seriously, and my life became so much more manageable."

Related: Blues Clues: Why The Original Host Steve Left After Season 4

Why Blue's Clues' Steve Remains In Many Audiences' Minds

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Burns' desire to leave the Nick, Jr. show before he went bald has been previously documented as a reason for his exit from Blue's Clues, but the actor hasn't previously opened up about the depression that contributed to his decision. The actor's explanation of the mental health struggles he endured while serving as the grinning face of Blue's Clues is heart-wrenching, particularly when one considers how deeply the host touched so many viewers throughout their childhoods. Steve served as Blue's owner for four seasons before his younger brother Joe took up the mantle for two more seasons, but reboot series Blue's Clues & You had four seasons under its belt, offering the new generation of viewers plenty of time with a new host.

However, though various hosts have taken their turn in the iconic thinking chair over the years, Steve has retained his status as the all-time fan favorite Blue's Clues host. His popularity is likely due in part to the actor's status as the original host, whose kind, cheery voice and steady crayon drawings introduced viewers to the charming and nostalgic world of Blue's Clues for the first time. As the main live-action element in the show, Steve also gave audiences a human face to latch onto and relate to in the series, making his recognizable smile a difficult one to replace.

In addition, the abruptness of Steve's exit kept viewers wondering about where he had really gone and whether he was alright, with the actor's absence from the show getting a happy update last year when the actor appeared in a Nick, Jr. video celebrating the 25th anniversary of Blue's Clues and addressing the now-grown-up audience in heartwarming fashion. In addition, Steve reprised his role briefly in Blue's Clues & You and will return in the upcoming Paramount+ movie Blue's Big City Adventure. Due to his role as an integral part in the childhoods of many, it's a delight to see Burns find joy in his return to the franchise.

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