Drake Bell is featured in the documentary “Quiet on Set – The Dark Side of Kids TV”.
Drake Bell shares his story of abuse suffered by Brian Peck in the forthcoming documentary ‘Quiet on Set.’
Drake Bell appears in a teaser video for the docuseries “Quiet on Set – The Dark Side of Kids TV”. She is portrayed as an alleged victim of Brian Peck.
Peck was featured only for a few moments at the end of the trailer. The rest of the footage focused on other network stars who were curious to find out “who Peck was hurting”.
The clip’s caption read: “Former Nickelodeon Star Drake Bell will share publicly, for the first time, his story of abuse at the hands of Brian Peck.”
Peck was a Nickelodeon dialogue coach for both “All That” as well as “The Amanda Show”, in which Bell appeared between 1999 and 2002.
Bell later got his series on the network, and starred in “Drake & Josh”, from 2004-07.
Peck was charged in 2003 with molesting an underage child. He was then accused of eight counts of sexual abuse. Peck spent 16 months behind bars after being convicted of lewd acts against children and oral copulation.
In October 2004, he was required to register himself as a sexual offender.
Fox News Digital did not receive a response from Bell and Peck’s representatives.
Allegations about Peck were brought to light in an episode of “Pod Meets World,” when Will Friedle, Rider Strong, and others discussed their complicated feelings towards Peck. Peck became their friend after he served as a substitute on “Boy Meets World.”
Brian Peck holding a doll at a comic convention. Brian Peck was found guilty of lewd acts against children and oral copulation by a person younger than 16 years old. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Friedle, Strong, and co-star Danielle Fishel brought Peck’s names to the table when they were contacted to make a statement. This was likely because of the upcoming ID documentary “Quiet on Set”, which details child abuse that took place behind closed doors on several Nickelodeon series.
Friedle stated that he was a grown-up and could not have been fooled in this way. “I had known him for many years before I heard about what happened. I had no idea this was happening, of course, and that I did not know or could not spot it was my failure.”
Peck was 40 years old at the time and only appeared in 2 episodes of the teen sitcom, which ran on ABC from 1993 to 2000. He quickly became friends with both Friedle and Strong.
Friedle recalled that Peck called him when sexual abuse allegations were made. This was long after the show ended. Friedle remembered Peck spinning the tale to show that it was “clearly his victim’s fault.”
My instinct was initially, “My friend, it can’t be. He said, “It’s got to be the other person’s fault. The story makes perfect sense in the way he says it.”
Will Friedle and Rider Strong, stars of Boy Meets World on the red carpet
Will Friedle and Rider Strong discuss the difficult emotions surrounding their friendship with Brian Peck, a convicted child abuser?
Strong recalled Peck confessing to the crime but spinning it to make Peck appear the victim.
“It was never in the context that I did this thing. I am guilty. I will accept whatever punishment is determined by the government, but I was manipulated. This hot guy was there. Strong said, “I just did this and he is underage. We bought that storyline.”
Peck asked Strong and Friedle also to support him in court, and to write letters of support to the judge. Friedle recalled one victim’s mom telling the court: “Look at the famous people that you brought with you.” It doesn’t make a difference what you did to me, kid.
Friedle hasn’t seen Peck for 20 years but he still feels remorse over what he witnessed as a spectator in Peck’s life.
Rider Strong and Will Friedle on the red carpet for Toy Story’s premiere in 1999
Will Friedle (R) and Rider Strong (L), who starred in “Boy Meets World”, from 1993 to 2000.
“There is a real victim here,” Friedle stated that he had turned us into his team by turning us against the victim. “That is the part where I see it as my shame, everlasting, for this whole [thing].” It’s easy to blame my youth for being taken in by someone who is a good actor or a manipulator. It’s awful.
“I will use it for my personal growth, but when an actual victim is involved, I find that I am on the other side. That’s something I haven’t yet been able or willing to overcome.”
