Drake Bell reportedly criticizes Rider Strong and Will Friedle for not apologizing after supporting Brian Peck, a convicted s*xual abuser, in a podcast.

Drake Bell has criticized Rider Strong and Will Friedle for not apologizing after supporting Brian Peck, a convicted s*xual abuser, during a podcast discussion. The issue arose when fellow Nickelodeon star Alexis Nikolas called out Strong and Friedle for prioritizing their careers and hit sitcom “Boy Meets World” over publicly defending Bell. Nikolas claimed that despite acknowledging their complicated history with Peck, Strong, and Friedle did not make any effort to apologize to Bell for their support of Peck.

Bell responded to the situation, pointing out that both Strong and Friedle were aware of Peck’s actions when they wrote letters of support for him. Friedle, who also attended Peck’s 2004 sentencing, later worked with Bell on a project without addressing the past. Bell mentioned that the letters of support were written under the assumption that they would remain private, with publicists advising them on how to handle the situation.

Investigation Discovery released a documentary, “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” which explored the toxic work environment at Nickelodeon, including Peck’s arrest for s*xual abuse. Strong and Friedle discussed their past friendship with Peck on their podcast, expressing regret and acknowledging that they were not fully aware of the extent of Peck’s actions at the time.

The directors of “Quiet on Set” expressed interest in learning more about the circumstances surrounding the letters of support for Peck, including potential pressure or influence in writing them. Bell, in the final parts of the documentary, broke his silence about Peck’s abuse and the courtroom experience, confronting those who supported Peck during the sentencing.

Strong and Friedle have not publicly addressed the revelation that Bell was the victim in Peck’s case, and they stated in their podcast that they have not maintained contact with Peck since then.

The documentary “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” aired on Investigation Discovery, shedding light on the complexities and challenges faced by individuals involved in such situations within the entertainment industry.

Published by: HOLR Magazine

Image Credit: @Drakebell Instagram