Drake Bell Opens Up About Josh Peck’s Silence During Quiet On Set
Drake Bell Recounts How Brian Peck Manipulated Him in Private
Bell explained how Peck deliberately drove a wedge between him and his manager father, Joe Bell (who also makes an appearance in the ID series and supports his son’s story), in order to spend more time with the teenager. Bell had a recurring role on The Amanda Show before starring in his own sitcom, Drake & Josh, in 2004.
According to Bell, Peck would accompany him to auditions and then insist that he stay over, claiming it was too late to drive back home. One night, Bell woke up on the couch where he always slept, only to find Peck sexually assaulting him.
“I was frozen and shocked, unsure of what to do,” Bell stated. “I didn’t know how to handle the situation.”
Despite Peck’s apologies, the abuse continued, and Bell kept silent, fearing that speaking out would ruin his career. Not even when his then-girlfriend’s mother noticed something was wrong and took him to a therapist did Bell reveal the truth.
Eventually, Bell confided in his mother, who immediately contacted the police. Detectives asked Bell to provide a detailed account of the abuse and then instructed him to call Peck to elicit a confession while they listened in. Peck confessed over the phone, leading to his arrest on August 20, 2003.