Drake Bell, former child actor who starred in Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh”, has revealed that he was sexually abused by Brian Peck, a dialogue coach and actor who worked on several Nickelodeon shows in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Bell’s shocking allegation will be featured in the upcoming Investigation Discovery docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV”, which exposes the toxic and abusive culture behind some of the most popular children’s shows of that era.
Drake Bell, who is now 37 years old, said that he was 15 when Peck molested him on the set of “The Amanda Show”, where the older actor served as a dialogue coach.
Brian Peck, now 63 years old, was arrested in 2003 on multiple charges following the sexual abuse of a minor, whose name was withheld.
According to Variety, Peck pleaded no contest to two counts of lewd acts with a child and oral copulation with a minor in 2004. He received a 16-month prison sentence and was mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
However, Peck was able to resume his career in Hollywood after his release, working as an actor in several movies and TV shows.
Drake Bell’s revelation is part of a four-part docuseries that investigates the dark side of kids’ TV, focusing on the shows created by Dan Schneider, the former Nickelodeon producer who was behind hits such as “iCarly”, “Zoey 101”, and “Victorious”.
According to FandomWire, the docuseries features interviews with former Nickelodeon stars, such as Giovonnie Samuels, Jenny Kilgen, and Katrina Johnson, who share their stories of abuse, harassment, and exploitation by Schneider and other adults in the industry.
“Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” is set to premiere on March 17 and 18 on Investigation Discovery.