Drake Bell’s “Drake & Josh” Mom, Nancy Sullivan, Said That Hearing Drake Detail His Alleged Abuse Has Broken Her Heart “Into A Million Pieces”

This article mentions allegations of child sex abuse.

Investigation Discovery’s docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV premiered earlier this week, with viewers being left horrified as a host of former child stars spoke out against their alleged experiences behind the scenes of several popular Nickelodeon shows throughout the late ‘90s and early ‘00s.

Brian was sentenced to 16 months in prison in 2004 after he pleaded no contest to two counts of child sex abuse against a then-unknown Nickelodeon star.

Drake then detailed the alleged abuse that he faced, claiming: “I was sleeping on the couch where I usually sleep, and I woke up to him... He was sexually assaulting me. And I froze and was in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react.”

The trial ended up coinciding with the first season of Drake & Josh. However, as Drake was a minor at the time, his anonymity was protected, and most people did not know about his allegations against Brian until this month.

This includes Drake’s former costar Nancy Sullivan, who played his mom on the Nickelodeon sitcom.

After Quiet on Set aired, Nancy took to her Instagram page to share her pain over what Drake had said — saying that hearing about the alleged abuse had broken her heart “into a million pieces.”

Sharing a photo of her onscreen son, Nancy wrote: “They weren't my real kids, but I'll always love them. It broke my heart into a million pieces to hear just how much Drake was holding inside while we were working together.”

“I was both devastated and proud seeing the man he's grown into sit down on camera and bravely tell his truth,” she continued. “Past abuse doesn't define us, and it has no right to rule our lives, I know that putting this burden down will free him in so many ways.”

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.

If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.