Nickelodeon has been in the center of media attention after the documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV first aired. Since its release, stars from the network have spoken out about their experiences working with the children’s program.
Keep reading to find out which former kid actors have spoken out.
Cast and crew members from some of Nick’s early 2000s hit shows have united together to discuss some of the grueling and traumatic experiences they faced on set. The four-part documentary features familiar faces from All That, The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, and Zoey 101.
During the series, Nickelodeon employees made startling allegations about the company’s “toxic environment.” The documentary takes a look at some of the key influential leaders of the company — in particular, producer Dan Schneider.
The producer and creator of popular shows like iCarly, Victorious and Sam & Cat, was called out for his bizarre behavior on set, which included inappropriate jokes, sexism in the writers’ room and more.
Christy Stratton, one of the writer’s for The Amanda Show, described her toxic relationship while working with Dan. “[It’s] like being in an abusive relationship. He had fostered this very fun, casual atmosphere, but I felt Dan could be very volatile and could turn any moment. I was scared.”
On top of that, there were several instances of convicted pedophiles on the set of some of Dan’s shows. One included a production assistant at the time, Jason Michael Handy, who was sentenced to six years in prison in 2004 after two felony convictions, one count of lewd acts on a child, in addition to a misdemeanor charge related to sexual exploitation of a child.
Brian Peck, an actor and dialogue coach on The Amanda Show, was convicted of lewd acts with a minor and sentenced to 16 months behind bars in 2004. In the documentary, it was revealed that the unnamed victim behind Brian’s assaults was Drake Bell.
In response to J-14‘s request for comment, Nickelodeon provided the following statement:
“Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct. Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”
In a sit-down interview with former iCarly star Bobbie K Bowman, Schneider expressed his regrets after viewing the series. “Watching over the past two nights was very difficult, me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret, and I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”
This series not only shattered the hearts of all viewers, but ultimately inspired other Nickelodeon stars to share some of their similar experiences on set. Keep scrolling to see which star’s have spoken out.
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