The fifth episode of “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” is shining a deeper light on the troubling experiences of former child actors on Nickelodeon’s hit shows.
In the series’ Apr. 7 bonus episode “Breaking the Silence,” “Drake & Josh’s” Drake Bell and “All That” alums Bryan Hearne and Giovonnie Samuels opened up to journalist Soledad O’Brien about their experience at the television network.
Viewed by over 16 million people, “Quiet on Set” sparked concern and outrage with fans on social media prompting everyone from Bell’s co-star Josh Peck to “Kenan & Kel” star Kenan Thompson to comment on the scandal.
In a Tik Tok post, “Blue’s Clues” Steve Burns, who played Steve from 1996 to 2002 on the Nick Jr. series, entered the chat to share his reaction to the doc.
@hioutthereitsmesteve ♬ Untitled #6 (2022 Remaster) – Sigur Rós
“What’s going on?” he says while looking visibly distressed about the revelations and pausing for a moment of silence.
The former Nick Jr. host told TODAY in an Apr. 7 interview , “I’m coming to it much the same as anyone else, with horror and heartbreak. It’s just terrible to watch it unfold,” he said. “I don’t know what else to say, other than that it’s heartbreaking.”
Burns continued, “It’s got to be so unfathomably painful. The fact that this is now what everyone’s talking about at the watercooler, it just breaks my heart.”
“Breaking the Silence” unveiled even more bombshells about Nickelodeon including Drake’s revelation that no one at the network has apologized to him for being sexually abused by disgraced former dialogue coach Brian Peck.
Peck was found guilty and sentenced to 16 months in prison in 2004.
After the doc’s release, Dan Schneider, who was fired from Nickelodeon after an investigation concluded he had engaged in verbal abuse and inappropriate behavior on set, released a Mar. 19 YouTube video apologizing while also defending himself.
Schneider has not been accused of sexual abuse.
Samuels and Hearne expressed their thoughts on the apology video, saying they found it “insincere.”
“The thing about his apology as a whole, is, I thought it was funny,” Hearne tells O’Brien, to which she then asks, “What did you think was funny about it?”
Hearne responds, “If I could be candid, Dan was an actor before all of this. And so, I think that he brushed off some chops, and gave us a nice performance. Where was all of this apologizing when Jennette McCurdy’s (iCarly alum) book came out?”
All episodes of “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” are now streaming on Max.
