Trustees Beth and Wealthy Correll, whose letters defending Brian Peck in his lawsuit against Drake Bell were made public in the recent documentary “Quiet on Set: The Dark Facet of Children TV,” are apologizing.
“We offer our deepest apologies to Drake Bell and his family, and deeply regret our decision a few years ago to request clemency for someone we later realized committed a horrific crime and caused Drake and others great pain and trauma. . If we had recognized the reality at the time the letters were written, we would not have written them at all,” the Corrells said in a single statement to Selection. “There are no words to express how bad we feel about being on the wrong side of a horrible situation and the trauma it has caused you, Drake. We are devastated that we unwittingly supported the unbearable.”
Their statement continues: “Our highest priority, having worked on many devices over the years, has been the protection of children. We cannot in any way knowingly put any child in danger. We were saddened and shocked to hear all the detailed details following the release of ‘Quiet on the Set’. Children must be protected and can always be in a safe environment…both at work and at home. Drake, you may be in our hearts, we are pleased with your bravery and hope that you are now able to heal. Once again, we are very sorry.”
Among their many credits, the Corrells worked on several episodes of “The Amanda Show,” “All That” and “Drake & Josh.”
During the ID documentary, Bell came forward for the first time, revealing that he was the minor who accused coach Brian Peck of sexual abuse. Peck was arrested in 2003, served 16 months in prison and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Beth and Wealthy Correll were two of more than 40 people who wrote character letters for Peck, many of which were revealed during the doc. In their letter, Wealthy Correll wrote that it would be a pleasure to work with Peck again – and so it was.
After being released from prison, Peck got a job on the Disney Channel show “The Suite Lifetime of Zack & Cody.” Wealthy and Beth Correll worked as director and second AD, respectively, on 55 episodes of the children’s show; the pair told the doc’s producers that they had no role or involvement in Peck’s casting and that when they asked him about the case, “Mr. Peck simply responded that ‘the problem had been resolved.’” Peck performed voiceover work on three episodes of “Suite Life.” Selection confirms that he was never on set and had no interactions with the cast or crew. As soon as Disney Channel realized his conviction, he was immediately fired and changed.
Following the release of the document, Nickelodeon gave the following statement about Bell: “Now that Drake Bell has revealed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he suffered, and we commend and help the much-needed energy to get back to the front.”
They also responded to several complaints made against producer Dan Schneider, who has since also released a response and apology. “While we cannot corroborate or deny allegations of behavior from long-ago productions, Nickelodeon, for the sake of coverage, investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to promoting a safe and professional office environment free from harassment. or other forms of inappropriate conduct”, acknowledged the community. “Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests of not only our crew, cast and crew, but all children, and we have put in place a number of safeguards over the years to help ensure we live up to our own high requirements. and the expectations of our viewers.
Bell, for his part, said he felt the community’s statements were “pretty hollow.”
“They still show our shows, they still do our shows, and I have to pay for my own treatment,” he said on “The Sarah Fraser Show” podcast following the doc’s release. “I have to figure out what — I mean, if there was something, if there was some truth behind them really thoughtful, there could be something bigger than quotes on a web page clearly made by an authoritative consultant telling them exactly how to personalize a response .”
Peck did not respond to Selectionobservation request.
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