'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In an interesting turn of events, the Drake Bell and Josh Peck controversy lives on as both actors opened up about the situation. The feud officially began in 2017, when Peck did not invite Drake to his wedding.
Following this, there were many controversial statements made by both sides. However, in a recent episode of BFFs with Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards, Peck elaborated on his explanation for not inviting his on-screen step-brother from Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh series.
In the 74th episode of the podcast, Peck claimed that the iconic on-screen duo were not friends off-screen. He said,
"The dirty little secret was that I knew that Drake and I didn't stay in touch for ten years since we made the show. But no one needed to know that."
However, Drake Bell has recently addressed his side of the story and refuted Peck's claims of not being in touch with the former.
What did Drake Bell say about Josh Peck's claim of the Nickelodeon duo not staying in touch?
In the inaugural episode of Drake Bell's podcast with his wife Janet Von Schmeling, the 35-year-old actor said that Peck's claims about them "not being friends" is not true. When Von Schmeling brought up Peck's recent podcast where he made the comments, Bell said:
"...we were like brothers. We were together, more honestly, I know Josh, and I'm closer to Josh than I am to my own brothers."
In the first episode of Drake & Janet's podcast, both added that they have had dinners with Peck and his wife on multiple occasions. After their wedding controversy, the couple also recalled running into Peck at the 2017 MTV VMAs.
Bell's wife, Von Schmeling, also reiterated her argument in an Instagram story, which has since been deleted. Both times, Janet Von Schmeling revealed that Peck did not threaten Bell to apologize to the former's wife.
While Drake Bell said that he was "bummed" when Peck did not invite him to the latter's wedding, the Ultimate Spider-Man voice actor revealed that he also congratulated Josh Peck on his engagement with his now-wife Paige O'Brien at the time. He said:
"I was just bummed because that (lack of the wedding invitation) almost solidified, this like, it was like it ended the roller. It was like, 'Oh, we're friends, we're not friends…"
Both Bell and Von Schmeling also refuted Peck's claims about not staying in touch since the show or since their "reunion" video at the MTV VMAs.
