Drake Bell is speaking out about the alleged sexual abuse he suffered as a child actor while working for Nickelodeon.
The former child star, 37, appears in the upcoming Investigation Discovery series Silence on set: The dark side of children’s television. The four-part program is set to air March 17 and 18 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
On Tuesday, ID shared a preview of the documentary on YouTube showing past Nickelodeon cast and crew members discussing their time at the kids and pre-teen channel before Bell walks in at the end of the video and sits down in a chair.
“The video reveals that former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell will share 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 of his crimes against Drake in 2004 and ordered to register as a sex offender, ” said Warner Bros. Discovery in a press release shared with PEOPLE.
Drake Bell’s victim accused him of grooming and sexual assault during the hearing – read her statement
According to an August 2003 LAPD press release, Peck was arrested by detectives from the LAPD’s Child Sexual Exploitation Unit, Juvenile Division, at his Valley Glen residence for lewd acts with a child.
‘Drake & Josh’ stars Nancy Sullivan, Miranda Cosgrove, Josh Peck, Drake Bell and Jonathan Goldstein (right to left).
SGranitz/WireImage
The incidents took place about two years before the arrest, and the press release said Peck “coached the victim.”
Authorities began investigating the adult after “the minor’s family reported that Peck had been abusing the child for six months.”
At the time, detectives said they believed there could be more victims yet to come forward.
The sexual abuse allegedly occurred when Bell was 15 years old.
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Drake Bell. Michael Tran/Getty
PEOPLE reached out to Bell’s former and current representatives for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
On Tuesday, Business Insider shared additional details about Peck’s criminal history related to the charges.
A boy meets the world The actors talk in detail about their past friendship with the guest star and convicted child abuser
According to media reports, Peck pleaded no contest in May 2004 to performing an indecent act with a 14- or 15-year-old girl and having oral sex with a minor under the age of 16.
The dialogue coach was subsequently sentenced to 16 months in prison and registered as a sex offender in October 2004.
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Drake Bell, May 2001.
Gary Livingston/Getty
Bell appeared on Nickelodeon All and The Amanda Show from 1999 to 2002 before sending his series to the network, Drake & Joshin 2004.
According to the discovery of Warner Bros. Silence on set: The dark side of children’s television will shed light on the toxic and dangerous culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The “documentary series reveals the treacherous environment” the former employees were exposed to, and includes “emotional accounts, chronicling a pattern of harsh, abusive and manipulative behavior that went on for decades, as well as exclusive stories about child predators on set.”
The statement added that many moments that were considered simply “stupid” will be recontextualized through testimonies and archival footage.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the crisis line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education