Former Nickelodeon Star Drake Bell To Reveal Allegations Of Childhood Sexual Abuse In New Docuseries

Actor Drake Bell has offered more details about the abuse he suffered from Brian Peck, a dialogue coach with whom he collaborated on the Nickelodeon series The Amanda Show.

Investigation Discovery recently announced the upcoming four-part docuseries titled Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, scheduled to premiere on March 17. In a press release, the network emphasized that Peck had been convicted in 2004 for his offenses against Bell and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Bell, 37, will share his story in the docuseries.

Peck, now 63, was arrested in 2003 and subsequently convicted of child molestation in 2004. Peck pleaded no contest to charges of illegal acts with a minor under 16 and performing a lewd act with a 14- or 15-year-old. The specific identities of his victims were never disclosed publicly. Following his conviction, Peck served 16 months in prison and registered as a sex offender.

Recently, Peck’s involvement in the legal issues surrounding his past actions gained attention when actors from Boy Meets World Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle, discussed their perspectives on their podcast Pod Meets World.

Strong reflected, “He didn’t say that nothing had happened… So by the time we heard about this case and knew anything about it, it was always in the context of, ‘I did this thing, I am guilty. I am going to take whatever punishment the government determines, but I’m a victim of jailbait. There was this hot guy, I just did this thing and he’s underage.’ And we bought that storyline. I never heard about the other things because, back then, you couldn’t Google to find out what people were being charged with.”

Friedle expressed regret for initially siding with Peck and expressed remorse for not recognizing and supporting the true victim. He acknowledged the manipulation they had fallen prey to and emphasized the need for personal growth and understanding. It is a source of ongoing shame for him to have unknowingly aligned with the abuser instead of the victim.

The forthcoming docuseries featuring Bell’s account aims to shed light on the darker aspects of the entertainment industry, specifically within the context of children’s television.

Last April, Bell was reported “missing and endangered” by police before turning up several days later.