7 Shocking Revelations From ‘Quiet on Set’ Episode 5

The new docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which aired on Investigation Discovery and is streaming on Max, explores the toxic culture behind some of the most popular Nickelodeon shows from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Following the series’ great success after the initial four episodes, the network has pulled together a fifth episode with never-before-seen footage and new interviews.

Journalist Soledad O’Brien leads the interviews in the new episode — called “Breaking the Silence” — with Drake Bell, Giovonnie Samuels, Bryan Hearne, and Shane Lyons.

The series has unearthed several uncomfortable revelations about Nickelodeon, including Bell being sexually abused by a former coach for the network, as well as other instances of abuse and racism.

Episode 5 drops a few major bombshells. Here are seven shocking moments from the new episode.

1. Drake Bell Says “Nobody” Has Reached Out Following Quiet on Set

   Looking back on the “unimaginable” amount of support Brian Peck received during his sentencing, Drake Bell said, “That day is so ingrained in my mind and there’s so many people who haven’t… nobody’s reached out to me.” When asked to clarify, the former child star says, “Not one person who’s written one of those letters has reached out to me.” Bell particularly responds to Will Friedle, who wrote a letter of support for Peck but has since expressed regret for doing so on a podcast. “I worked with Will on Spider-Man and he had a lot of opportunity to apologize or talk about it and never did,” Bell tells O’Brien.

3. Drake Bell Has A “Special” Relationship With Josh Peck

   Drake Bell’s Drake & Josh costar Josh Peck received heavy backlash following the release of Quiet on Set for not speaking publicly on the docuseries. Bell quickly issued a statement asking people to “take it easy.” The former child actor addresses the topic again in the new episode, saying, “I know what it’s like to have the internet attack you for really nothing. [Josh Peck] had reached out to me and we’ve been talking. This is a really difficult thing to process, but at the end of the day we have such a close connection and a unique bond that’s so rare in this industry. It’s really special and he’s a really great person.”

4. Dan Schneider Was The Only Nickelodeon Person To Support Drake Bell During Brian Peck Case

   Drake Bell has revealed that Dan Schneider was the only person at Nickelodeon to support him during his case against Brian Peck. “It was really hard to watch because I can only speak to my experience,” Bell says about the allegations against Schneider. “I can’t take away from anybody else’s experience. I can just say during this time, with Brian, Dan was the only one from the network who even made an effort to help me and make sure I was okay.”

5. Dan Schnieder Asked Giovonnie Samuels For “A Quote of Support” Before Quiet on Set Premiere

   Former All That star Giovonnie Samuels recalls getting a phone call from Dan Schnieder roughly a week before the release of Quiet on Set asking for a “quote of support.” Samuels recalls him asking her, “You had a good time on set, right?” In response, she claims she told him that she was “terrified” of him. Following the release of the docuseries, Schneider released a YouTube video where he discussed the allegations against him and offered an apology to those he wronged.

6. All That Actor Shane Lyons Says Brian Peck Asked Him About “Blue Balls”

   All That actor Shane Lyons speaks about his experience with Brian Peck, for the first time, in the new episode of Quiet on Set. He claims that Peck had made “passes” at him on set, but he feels “blessed and lucky” that the situation never escalated. The actor recalls being asked about “blue balls” by Peck while on set. “I’m a kid, 13 or 14, and as I think back now, as an adult, would I ever have a conversation with a 13-year-old boy like he had with me? No.”

7. Amanda Bynes Repeated Spit in Black Co-Star’s Face While Filming The Amanda Show

   Former The Amanda Show actor Raquel Lee Bolleau recalls shooting a skit called “The Literals,” in which Amanda Bynes would spit liquids out of her mouth. Without being prompted to do so, Bynes repeatedly spat directly in Bolleau’s face. “Everybody thought it was so funny. Everybody’s laughing, but I did not find it funny,” says Bolleau. “The third time, I was infuriated. I was so mad that the director hurried and put me on the side of the set and was like, ‘Listen, breathe in, breathe out. She’s the star of the show.'” Bolleau was told that Bynes would be directed not to spit in her face, but she would have to “keep her cool.”

8. Drake Bell Now Has A “Fantastic” Relationship With His Dad After Years of Separation

   Drake Bell’s father opened up about his role in his son’s early acting career, and his first impression of Brian Peck in Quiet on Set. Looking back, Bell says, “My dad’s very emotional, but we have a fantastic relationship and I’m so grateful for that because, like it shows in the doc, we went through many years of separation.” The actor says those years were “really hard” on the both of them, but they have an “amazing relationship” now.

 Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is streaming on Max and Discovery+.

If you or someone you know needs to reach out about sexual abuse or assault, RAINN is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at RAINN.org.