Drake Bell claims he was sexually abused by Nickelodeon dialogue coach
In the upcoming series ‘Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,’ Drake Bell is set to come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Brian Peck.
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Drake Bell is coming forward about the abuse he allegedly endured that led to the conviction of his dialogue coach Brian Peck, who is a registered sex offender.
On Tuesday, Investigation Discovery shared a teaser of its upcoming docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.” The series aims to uncover “the toxic and dangerous culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s” on Nickelodeon under former producer Dan Schneider, according to a release.
Bell takes a seat in the interview chair at the end of the brief clip. According to the release, this is the “Drake and Josh” star’s first time identifying himself as the victim of Peck’s alleged abuse that led to his conviction in 2004.
USA TODAY has reached out to a representative of Peck for comment.
Peck was arrested in August 2003 on a charge of lewd acts with a child, according to a press release from the Los Angeles Police Department. The arrest stemmed from a 2001 incident in which the actor allegedly molested a child he was coaching over a six-month period.
Bell, who was then starring on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” as a sketch performer, would have been 14 or 15 at the time of the incident.
Other Nickelodeon stars and employees including “All That” star Giovonnie Samuels, “Zoey 101” star Alexa Nikolas, “Double Dare” host Marc Summers, “All That” director Virgil Fabian and more will appear in the docuseries to discuss abuse, sexism and racism, per a release.
“Quiet on Set” will air on ID across two nights, March 17 and March 18 starting at 9 p.m. ET.
‘Boy Meets World’ stars recently expressed ‘shame’ for supporting Brian Peck in court
Last month, “Boy Meets World” stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong accused Peck of grooming them when he was an adult guest star on the show. The acting coach appeared on two credited episodes, as a background actor in Season 6 and as the character “Ookie” in Season 7.
Friedle and Strong also shared their “shame” in initially supporting Peck in court amid the 2003 case.
When Peck was arrested in 2003, Friedle and Strong said on the “Pod Meets World” podcast that he framed his legal trouble as an incident in which he was victimized by the minor he was sexually involved with. Friedle even recalled going to court to show support for Peck, along with other child stars the actor knew.
“That’s very common, unfortunately,” said Jim Struve, the executive director of Men Healing, an organization that provides resources to men and boys who have been sexually harmed. “The reality is most people know their offender. … You have some loyalty, you have some investment, you have some history with the person.”
For men and boys in particular, Struve previously told USA TODAY that it can be especially challenging to come forward with allegations of grooming or abuse. Our culture tends to not view males as potential victims of sexual misconduct, he said, even though that’s wholly inaccurate; researchers have found at least one in six men has experienced sexual abuse or assault.
Drake Bell previously pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges
Bell’s revelation comes three years after he pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges after he was accused of sexual contact and grooming an underage fan. The victim spoke at length in court about the damage Bell has done to her life, saying he began grooming her when she was 12. She said she initially felt loved and protected by him during online chats and that his messages became “blatantly sexual” after she turned 15. She said his remarks made her feel uncomfortable, but she felt trapped because she “idolized” Bell.
He was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service in Cleveland court in July 2021.
“While it is often true that males who are sexual offenders often have a history of having been a victim of sexual assault themselves, most male victims do NOT become sexual offenders,” Men Healing notes in its FAQ section.
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Bell spoke out about his conviction in a video posted on Instagram in September 2021, calling the allegations that he sent sexually explicit photos were “entirely false and wrong” and said he accepted a plea deal to resolve the matter “quickly.”
In the video, the former Nickelodeon star acknowledged his interactions were “reckless and irresponsible,” but he claimed he was “unaware” of her age and only communicated with her via text messages — without any physical contact.
Bell, also a singer, began acting as a child, but was catapulted to stardom as a teen with Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” and later “Drake & Josh,” which debuted on the channel in January 2004. The final episode aired in September 2007. Bell and co-star Josh Peck also starred in two “Drake & Josh” movies.
Drake Bell speaks out against child endangerment conviction: ‘I owe you an explanation’
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org).
MenHealing provides resources and services for adult males who have been sexually victimized during childhood or as adults. You can visit their website for more information or follow MenHealing on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Contributing: Jenna Ryu, Edward Segarra, Charles Trepany, USA TODAY; Mark Gillispie, Associated Press