- By Bernd Debusmann Jr
- BBC News, Washington
Image source, Getty Images
Dan Schneider worked on popular shows including iCarly, All That and The Amanda Show
Former Nickelodeon producer and writer Dan Schneider has apologised for his “embarrassing” on-set behaviour at the children’s channel.
A new documentary released earlier this week alleged years of abuse and inappropriate behaviour at shows including iCarly and Drake and Josh.
Mr Schneider left Nickelodeon in 2018 after an investigation found that he was verbally abusive to staff members.
He has now said he owes “some people a pretty strong apology”.
The four-part docuseries, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, includes several allegations of Mr Schneider making inappropriate and sexual jokes on-set.
Former Amanda Show writer Jenny Kilgen, for example, alleged that Mr Schneider asked for a massage in exchange for her sketches being put in the show.
“He would always present it like a joke… he would be laughing while he said it,” Kilgen said. “But it always felt like disagreeing with Dan or standing up for yourself could result in you getting fired.”
“I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology,” he said.
Mr Schneider also specifically apologised for the inappropriate jokes he made in the writers’ room, saying it was “wrong”.
“I apologise to anybody that I ever put in that situation, and even additionally, I apologise to the people who were walking around video village or wherever they happened, because there were lots of people there who witnessed it who also may have felt uncomfortable.”
In the docuseries, actor Drake Bell alleged he was a victim of sexual abuse by former dialogue coach Brian Peck, with whom Mr Schneider worked closely on All That and The Amanda Show.
Peck was sentenced to 16 months in prison in 2004 after pleading no contest to two charges of child abuse.
In his apology, Mr Schneider said that the episode with Peck and Mr Bell was the “darkest part” of his career.
“When I watched the show… I could see the hurt in some people’s eyes,” he said of the documentary.
Nickelodeon has yet to respond to Mr Schneider’s apology.
In a previous statement about the docuseries, however, the network said that it “cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviours from productions decades ago” but investigates all formal complaints “as a matter of policy”.
“Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children,” the statement added.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
