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In light of Drake Bell‘s revelations about the sexual abuse he faced at 15 years old, his former Drake & Josh co-star, Josh Peck, has faced backlash on social media about his apparent silence on the situation. However, Peck, 37, “reached out” to Bell, 37, the “I Found a Way” musician revealed in a new TikTok video posted on Wednesday, March 20.
“I just want to clear something up. I’ve noticed a lot of comments on some of Josh’s TikToks and some of his posts,” Bell began in his video. “I just want to let you guys know that this is really — processing this and going through this is a really emotional time, and a lot of it is very, very difficult. So, not everything is put out to the public.”
Bell then clarified that Peck “has reached out to [him], and it’s been very sensitive.”
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“But he has reached out to talk with me and help me work through this,” Bell continued before adding that Peck “has been really, really great. So, just wanted to let you guys know that and to take it a little easy on him.”
Bell’s statement comes after Peck started to receive countless comments on social media about Bell. Many pointed out that he hasn’t publicly addressed his former co-star’s violating experience at the hands of former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck), which Bell unpacked during the second episode of ID’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.
“I was sleeping on the couch where I usually sleep and I woke up to him — I opened my eyes and I woke up and he was … he was sexually assaulting me,” Bell recalled. “And I froze, and was in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react.”
In 2004, Brian pleaded no contest to a charge of oral copulation with a minor under 16 and a charge of performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old. Brian spent 16 months in prison and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Bell’s identity in the case remained a secret until now. In response to the musician’s revelations in Quiet on Set, Nickelodeon provided a statement to Hollywood Life.
“Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward,” the network said.
In a separate statement, Nickelodeon reacted to the other allegations that former staff members made against separate crew members.
“Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct,” the network noted. “Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”
Peck and Bell had a falling out in their friendship years ago. Peck released his book, Happy People Are Annoying, in 2022, which claimed that he hadn’t talked to Bell in a while amid his legal woes. In response, Bell’s now-estranged wife, Janet, called Peck a “liar” on social media.
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