On the eve of Investigation Discovery’s fifth episode of its Quiet on Set docuseries, actor and series subject, Drake Bell (Drake & Josh), announced he had made amends with former child star and actor, Rider Strong (Boy Meets World, Summertime Switch). Deadline reports Bell announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he had forgiven Strong for his past support of Brian Peck, the man convicted of molesting Bell during his tenure on Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show. View the post below.
In the post, Bell states he had an “amazing conversation” with Strong and that “we are all healing together.” In the third episode of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, Bell disclosed the alleged abuse he endured by Peck, his then dialogue coach and eventual manager, from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, Peck was arrested on eleven counts, including alleged oral copulation with a controlled substance or anesthesia, alleged lewd act upon a child aged 14 or 15, and alleged sodomy. In 2004, Peck pleaded not guilty to lesser counts and was sentenced to 16 months in jail. He also had to register as a sex offender.
At Peck’s trial, many past colleagues signed open letters in his defense, including Strong and his sitcom costar Will Friedle (Batman Beyond: The Movie, Kim Possible). Before the docuseries premiered, the duo discussed their regret over supporting Peck on the Pod Meets World podcast, with fellow friend and costar Danielle Fishel (Girl Meets World, Boiling Pot).
In the episode, the three discussed how Peck’s sexuality – he was an openly gay man – may have permitted people to overlook what should have been deemed inappropriate behavior. Friedle also discussed how Peck manipulated him into thinking he was the victim.
“There’s an actual victim here. And he turned us against the victim to where now we’re on his team,” Friedle said. “That’s the thing where, to me, I look back at that as my ever-loving shame for this entire [thing]. Getting taken in by somebody who’s a good actor and a manipulator, I could chalk that up to being young and that’s the way it is. It’s awful.”
Quiet on Set: Breaking the Silence premieres tonight, April 7, at 8 p.m. on the ID Channel. It will be available to stream on Max.