Former Nickelodeon child star Drake Bell has come forward to open up about his experience of sexual abuse at the hands of dialogue coach Brian Peck.
The actor, best known for his work on the kids' shows such as 'The Amanda Show' and 'Drake & Josh', has come forward to allege that he was a victim of sexual abuse, as part of the upcoming Investigation Discovery series titled 'Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV'. Bell worked with Peck on shows like 'The Amanda Show' and 'Drake & Josh'.
Reports on Variety state that Peck was arrested in August 2003 on multiple charges related to allegations of child sexual abuse. In 2004, he entered a 'no contest' plea to charges including performing lewd acts with a 14 or 15-year-old and oral copulation with a minor under 16. As a result, he was sentenced to 16 months in jail and mandated to register as a sex offender in October 2004.
A snippet from 'Quiet on Set' showcases Bell bravely stepping forward under the spotlight to share his alleged story of abuse and the impact it had on him. A statement from Investigation Discovery emphasizes the significance of Bell's testimony, marking the first time he publicly shares his story of abuse.
"The clip reveals that former 'Nickelodeon' star Drake Bell will be sharing publicly, for the first time, the story of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Brian Peck, his former dialogue coach, who was convicted in 2004 for his crimes against Drake and ordered to register as a sex offender," the statement read, as reported by Variety.
The docuseries aims to shed light on the toxic work conditions behind children’s shows in the 1990s and early 2000s. The show that airs next week will specifically revolve around those from "iCarly" and "Zoey 101" creator Dan Schneider.
Drake Bell, last made headlines when he pleaded guilty on to charges relating to a girl who met him online and attended one of his concerts in Cleveland in 2017, when she was 15.
Bell pleaded guilty via Zoom to felony attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanour charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. Sentencing is scheduled for July 12 in Cleveland. He had been sentenced to two years probation and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to attempted endangering children, a fourth-degree felony, and a misdemeanour charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
