Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
ID’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV made shocking revelations about former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck. In the docuseries, Drake & Josh child actor Drake Bell alleged that Peck sexually assaulted him while he was a teen. Bell opened up for the first time about his horrific experience. The former actor also claimed to be the anonymous teenager whose accusations led to Peck’s conviction two decades ago.
Variety reported that in 2003, police arrested Peck for the sex crimes against Bell, now 37. He eventually pleaded no contest to performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old and to oral copulation with a minor under 16. Peck spent 16 months in prison, and after his release in 2005, he was registered as a sex offender.
According to the California Megan’s Law Website, Brian Peck, now 63, resides in the Van Nuys neighborhood in Los Angeles.
What was Nickelodeon’s former dialogue coach Brian Peck convicted of and when?
While appearing on ID’s Quiet on Set, former child actor Drake Bell claimed to be a victim of Nickelodeon’s former dialogue coach, Brian Peck. Bell also confirmed that he was the victim whose accusations resulted in Peck’s conviction on sex crimes against a minor. Now a registered sex offender, Peck had pleaded no contest to performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old and to oral copulation with a minor under 16 in 2004.
Per Bell’s revelations in the docuseries, he and Peck first worked together on The Amanda Show alongside headliner Amanda Bynes. The two worked closely and bonded over common interests, reported Entertainment Weekly.
According to Bell’s father, Joe, who was his manager, claimed he knew something was off Peck’s behavior. Joe, who also appeared in Quiet on Set, claimed the dialogue coach began hanging “around Drake too much.” The father mentioned that Peck would appear whenever Bell was in the dressing room and often touched the child actor. As per the allegations, Peck would “put his arm around his [Bell’s] waist” or “on his shoulder, and kinda run it down his arm, and things like that.”
Drake Bell claimed the situation worsened after he got his own show, Drake & Josh. Brian Peck allegedly tried to draw a wedge between Bell and his father. Peck then convinced the actor’s mother to let him stay at his house and drive him to auditions. Bell claimed the abuse began shortly afterward.
The 37-year-old actor recalled one instance, claiming that he woke up one morning to find Peck assaulting him. Bell said, “I opened my eyes, I woke up, and he was, he was sexually assaulting me. And I froze and was in complete shock, and had no idea what to do, or how to react.” Bell claimed he “had no idea how to get out of the situation. I had no car, I didn’t drive. I was 15 at this time.”
Bell added, “I somehow ended up back at Brian’s house” in case of an audition or if he needed help with dialogue. He said, “And it just got worse and worse and worse and worse,” explaining that he was “just trapped” with “no way out.”
Based on his account, the mother of Drake Bell’s then-girlfriend tried to help him after noticing Brian Peck’s strange behavior. She took the teen to a therapist and encouraged him to share. Bell eventually opened up to his mother, who then called the police. He gave authorities a detailed account of the abuse, which resulted in Peck’s arrest in 2003 and his conviction a year later.
Quiet on Set also delves into allegations against Nickelodeon’s former producer, Dan Schneider, and production assistant Jason Handy. Sources stated that multiple former child actors and crew members have accused Schneider of exhibiting abusive behavior on popular show sets. They have also alleged that they worked in a toxic environment fueled by sexism, racism, and sexual abuse.
The four-part docuseries premiered on Sunday, March 17, 2024, in a two-night event.
