Drake Bell has revealed that his Drake & Josh co-star Josh Peck has “reached out” to him, offering support after the child star revealed that he was abused by his former dialogue coach, Brian Peck.
As we previously shared, Drake Bell shared his story of abuse in the Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV documentary that was recently released. A lot of fans have been criticizing Josh Peck for staying silent about the situation, but in a new TikTok video posted by Bell he asked for fans to take it easy on his former co-star. “I just want to clear something up,” he said in the video. “I’ve noticed a lot of comments on some of Josh’s TikToks and some of his posts and I just want to let you guys know that processing this and going through this is a really emotional time and a lot of it is very, very difficult.”
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Bell continued, “So not everything is put out to the public, but I just want you guys to know that he [Peck] has reached out to me, and it’s been very sensitive, but he has reached out to talk with me and help me work through this and has been really, really great. So I just wanted to let you guys know that and to take it a little easy on him.
Brian Peck’s career in Hollywood began in the 1980s, where he appeared in various TV shows and movies. He eventually landed a role on the popular Disney Channel show, “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” where he played a recurring character. However, his career took a dark turn when he was arrested in 2004 for lewd acts with a minor, which Drake Bell revealed to the world that he was that minor.
Despite his arrest, Peck continued to work in the industry and even landed a job as a dialogue coach on various films, including “The X-Men” franchise. However, his past caught up with him in 2017 when he was arrested again and charged with multiple counts of lewd acts with a child under the age of 16.
During the trial, multiple victims came forward and testified against Peck, detailing the abuse they suffered at his hands. The evidence was overwhelming, and Peck was ultimately convicted on all charges. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and had to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
In the case of Brian Peck, his conviction serves as a warning to others who may be engaging in similar behavior. Justice has been served, but the scars left on the victims will remain long after the headlines fade. It is a sobering reminder that no one is above the law, no matter how famous or influential they may be.