Longtime MSNBC “Hardball” host Chris Matthews announced on-air that he will be departing from the primetime show.

On Monday night, Matthews opened the show with the announcement of his resignation. He declared that it would be his last episode of “Hardball” but “not for lack of interest in politics.”

“Let me start with my headline tonight: I’m retiring. This is the last ‘Hardball’ on MSNBC,” Matthews said adding, “And obviously, this isn’t for the lack of interest in politics.”

He continued, “As you can tell, I loved every minute of my 20 years as host of ‘Hardball.'”

“Every morning I read the papers and I’m gung-ho to get to work. Not many people have had this privilege. I love working with my producers and our discussions we’d have on how we report the news. And I love having this connection with you, the good people who watch.”

Matthews went on to shed light on the reason for his departure. He admitted that the decision to resign came after a discussion with the network. Matthews mentioned the “younger generation” and the progressive changes in the way people are fighting for causes.

He also touched on the sexual harassment claims that were previously made against him. Matthews offered an apology.

“Compliments on a woman’s appearance that some men, including me, might have once incorrectly thought were okay were not okay, not then and certainly not today. And for making such comments in the past, I’m sorry,” Matthews said.

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Check out Matthews’ statement below:

The latest news about Matthews’ resignation follows his recent remarks about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

As previously reported on IJR, Matthews came under fire after he compared Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt) Nevada caucuses win to France falling to Nazi Germany. The analogy quickly led to backlash and Matthews ultimately offered an apology on-air.

Despite his departure from “Hardball,” Matthews assured his fans that this would not be the end of his career. He is currently writing another book and will continue to discuss politics.

“So let’s not say, ‘Goodbye’ but, ‘Til we meet again,'” Matthews said.