Drake Bell Opens Up About Being Sexually Abused as a Teen by a Nickelodeon Staff Member
Drake Bell's heartbreaking revelation sheds light on a troubling experience.
Drake Bell, known for his role as Drake Parker in the popular show Drake & Josh from 2004-2007, has recently revealed that he was sexually abused at the age of 15 by a Nickelodeon employee. Before his time on Drake & Josh, Bell was a part of The Amanda Show when he was just 13 years old.
In a recent interview on Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (via Variety), Bell shared his story of abuse by Brian Peck, a dialogue coach for The Amanda Show and All That. Bell stated that the abuse took place when he was 15 years old.
This News Further Complicates Drake Bell’s Legacy
Drake and Josh dancing in the series finale - This News Further Complicates Drake Bell’s Legacy
It seems that Bell was one of the children affected by Peck's wrongdoing, and unfortunately, Bell later behaved inappropriately with another child.
Although the allegations of Bell's abuse are recent, Peck has a history of being a sexual predator. In 2003, Peck was arrested for multiple counts of sexual abuse involving a minor, whose identity was not disclosed. The following year, he pleaded no contest to engaging in a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old. Peck was then sentenced to 16 months in prison and required to register as a sex offender.
Since leaving the popular show Drake & Josh, Bell has been involved in a scandal. He was accused of grooming and sexually assaulting an underage fan. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to attempted endangering children, receiving a sentence of two years probation and 200 hours of community service. The victim, who was 19 years old during the case, stated that Bell began grooming her at 12 and assaulted her at 15.
Adding to the tragedy, Bell recently accused Peck of wrongdoing. It appears that Bell was not the only child affected by Peck's actions, and sadly, Bell himself acted inappropriately towards a child. The once beloved Nickelodeon legacy has been tarnished by Bell's misconduct, and the news of Bell's own victimhood only adds to the damage.
Source: Variety
