Drake Bell, despite the recent docuseries that exposed the sexual abuse he endured as a child actor, has expressed his openness to a Drake & Josh reunion. However, he clarified that it would not be a reprisal of their beloved sitcom but rather a new collaboration. In an interview with The Patriot-News, Bell mentioned that he and his Nickelodeon co-star, Josh Peck, have discussed the possibility of a reunion. Nevertheless, he emphasized that he didn’t want to jump on the reboot bandwagon like other shows from the 1990s and 2000s.
While Nickelodeon has been bringing back several properties from its past, including Good Burger, Zoey 101, and iCarly, Bell stated that he doesn’t agree with the approach of doing reboots simply because it’s a trend. Instead, he believes that if they were to reunite, it should be something more special, something that would make a big impact. “Let’s hit ’em with a bang instead of, ‘Oh, another reboot,'” he exclaimed.
Bell expressed his interest in teaming up with Peck on a new project but not necessarily reprising their characters from Drake & Josh. He suggested exploring other buddy comedies that would surprise the audience and offer a fresh experience. According to Bell, it would be more interesting to take a different direction rather than sticking to the familiar.
In the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, Bell revealed that he had been sexually abused by Brian Peck, a dialogue coach on The Amanda Show. Brian Peck, who is not related to Josh Peck, was convicted of abusing a minor and served time in prison. Bell’s decision to speak out publicly about the abuse was met with an outpouring of support. He admitted that it was an emotional roller coaster and he wasn’t sure how people would react, but he felt grateful for the support he received.
Drake Bell and Josh Peck starred as step-siblings in Drake & Josh from 2004 to 2007. They also released two one-off specials and a TV movie during that time. After the sitcom ended, Bell focused on his music career and voice acting, particularly as the voice of Peter Parker in animated Spider-Man projects.
Despite initial speculation about the state of their relationship due to Josh Peck’s lack of an immediate public statement about the docuseries, Bell reassured fans that he and Peck are on good terms. In a TikTok video following the documentary’s release, Bell revealed that Peck had reached out to him and had been supportive throughout the process.
Overall, while a Drake & Josh reunion may not be in the form of a reboot, Drake Bell’s openness to collaborating with Josh Peck on a new project suggests that fans may still have something to look forward to in the future. Bell’s desire to create something special and unexpected, combined with the support he has received, shows his resilience and determination to move forward despite the challenges he has faced.
