Drake Bell and Josh Peck have reunited. In a preview for a new episode of Peck’s Good Guys podcast, the pair came together to reflect on their experience as child stars. They opened up about having complicated feelings toward their Nickelodeon series, Drake & Josh, especially following the release of the Quiet on Set documentary, during which Drake revealed he was sexually abused while working on the children’s television network. Although bringing up the past must have been hard, fans are thankful the two have each other to lean on.
Looking Back On ‘Drake & Josh’
This week, fans got a teaser of Drake Bell and Josh Peck’s upcoming reunion in an exclusive for People. The former co-stars got real about the complexities of child stardom. Josh acknowledged that he had a lot of “great” moments while filming Drake & Josh. He said he feels “incredibly lucky” to have been part of the show since it was such a big part of people’s childhoods.
However, Josh also feels bitterness toward his Nickelodeon days due to everything he and Drake went through behind the scenes. For example, he experienced several personal issues stemming from his weight and drinking habits. “I remember people would ask me about the show, and I would say, ‘Well, I lost a hundred pounds and had to get sober at 21. Did I seem happy?’ Like, it’s a bit of a sign,” Josh said.
The actor also referenced his co-star’s sexual abuse, which began when he was a teenager on the network. “There’s also the truth of everything you went through and everything that was an experience for a kid that was unacceptable in so many ways and you’ve got to wrestle with this,” Josh said.
They Reunite One Year After ‘Quiet on Set’
Drake Bell opened up about his abuse for the first time in Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. The documentary series premiered in March 2024. Throughout the show, various actors made appearances to discuss the toxic work environment on Nickelodeon. One of the biggest talking points was how two sex offenders came out of the network: production assistant Jason Handy and dialogue coach Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck).
The former was arrested in 2003 after police found Handy to be in possession of sexually explicit material involving children. Meanwhile, the latter was arrested for child sexual abuse later that year. At the time, Peck’s victim was not publicly revealed. Their name has continued to be a secret for over two decades. However, that changed when Drake confirmed it was him in Quiet on Set.
Now, one year after the documentary dropped, Drake Bell and Josh Peck reunited to discuss the series for the first time together. Fans praised the actors for having the courage to be so open about such difficult topics. They noted the conversation must have been a step toward healing for the pair since they likely were able to get so many things off their chest. “[These] two seem to both have their share of demons and unprocessed stuff,” one person said.
In one clip shared online, Drake even teared up while talking to his former co-star.
It won’t be long until fans can watch Drake Bell and Josh Peck’s full reunion. It’ll premiere with the arrival of the next two Good Guys episodes on March 24 and 27.
