Investigation Discovery docuseries, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV
| Photo Credit: Twitter/@DiscoveryID
Court documents from the trial of Brian Peck, a former Nickelodeon employee and convicted sex offender, have been unsealed after nearly two decades for the Investigation Discovery docuseries, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. The documents reveal 41 letters of support for Peck, including from prominent actors and industry insiders.
Peck, a voice coach and actor for Nickelodeon, was arrested in August 2003 on charges of child sexual abuse. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison in October 2004 and registered as a sex offender. The identity of the victim, referred to as John Doe in court, remained undisclosed until Drake Bell came forward during the docuseries, disclosing himself as the abused child actor.
In the documentary, Bell described attending Peck’s sentencing hearing and noted the presence of recognizable faces supporting Peck. Among the supporters were actors Ron Melendez, Alan Thicke, James Marsden, Rider Strong, Will Friedle, and Taran Killam.
Despite the severity of the charges, many of the letters requested leniency from the judge, advocating for probation rather than imprisonment for Peck. In a video interview obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, former Nickelodeon creator Dan Schneider expressed disbelief at the support for Peck, stating that 41 people wrote letters praising Peck’s character.
Actors like Marsden emphasised Peck’s purported suffering and Killam attesting to Peck’s regret for his actions. Additionally, comments made by Strong and Friedle on their Boy Meets World podcast highlight how they were influenced by Peck’s narrative, a sentiment echoed by Alexa Nikolas, who criticized the Boy Meets World cast for their support.
The controversy surrounding Peck’s case resurfaces amid Bell’s own legal troubles, as he faces charges related to alleged inappropriate text conversations with a minor. Bell addressed these issues in the docuseries, expressing remorse for his actions and the media’s portrayal of him.
