Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider apologises after Quiet On Set allegations

Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider apologises after Quiet On Set allegations

Dan Schneider is “truly sorry” for those who “did not have a positive experience” on his shows.

The former Nickelodeon TV producer – whose work included creating the likes of ‘All That’, ‘The Amanda Show’, ‘Drake and Josh’, ‘Victorious’, ‘Zoey 101’ and ‘iCarly’ – has responded to new Investigation Discovery docuseries ‘Quiet On Set’, which has raised allegations of a toxic and dangerous culture on the sets of his shows in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In a statement to Deadline, Schneider’s representative said: “Dan expected and asked a lot from his teams.

“They worked long hours and consistently made successful shows. In the challenges of production, Dan could get frustrated at times, and he understands why some employees found that intimidating or stressful.

“In a career spanning 30+ years, Dan worked with thousands of people, many of whom still tell him how much they enjoyed and appreciated working on his shows.

“But he also knows some people did not have a positive experience, and he is truly sorry for that.”

His spokesperson said that “all episodes” – including aspects like makeup, costumes and scripts – were “reviewed and approved”.

The statement continued: “Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts.

“A standards and practices group read and ultimately approved every script, and programming executives reviewed and approved all episodes.

“In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals.

“Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny.”

In the documentary, there are allegations of a sexist and toxic environment in ‘The Amanda Show’ writer’s room, while actress Alexa Nikolas discusses being in ‘Zoey 101’, while cast and crew from ‘iCarly’, ‘Sam and Cat’, ‘Victorious’ and more also appear.

The series also featured comments from Drake Bell, who suffered “extensive and brutal” abuse at the hands of Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck.

In 2004, Peck pleaded no contest to a charge of oral copulation with a minor under 16 as well as a charge of performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old. Bell was the plaintiff but his identity as the victim was not made public at the time.

Peck spent 16 months in prison and was mandated to register as a sex offender.

In the new documentary, Drake claims that former Nickelodeon writer and ‘Drake and Josh’ creator Dan Schneider was “unaware” of the abuse.

The two-part series aired on March 17 and March 18, and executives at the children’s network have claimed that they are “dismayed and saddened” to learn of the situation now that Drake has disclosed his identity.

In a statement, Nickelodeon said: “Now that Drake Bell had disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward.”