Nickelodeon alum Kenan Thompson reacts to ‘Quiet on Set' allegations

Originally appeared on E! Online

Kenan Thompson's thoughts are with his Nickelodeon family.

More than a week after the release of "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV"—an Investigation Discovery docuseries exploring allegations of sexual abuse, racism and sexism behind the scenes of the network's iconic shows—the former "All That" star expressed his support for those who shared their stories, saying that his "heart goes out to anybody that's been victimized or their families."

"I think it's a good thing that the doc is out and is putting things on display that need to be told for accountability sake," Thompson shared during a March 27 appearance on Tamron Hall. "But it's definitely tough to watch because I have fond memories of that place."

However, the 45-year-old noted that many of the allegations, including accusations of workplace misconduct against producer Dan Schneider, "happened after I left" the network in the early aughts.

"It's tough for me because I can't really speak on things that I've never witnessed," he said. "Dan wasn't really on Kenan and Kel like that. He got a 'created by' credit but it was a different showrunner, so our worlds weren't overly overlapping like that outside of 'All That' necessarily."

Nickelodeon Stars Then and Now

Still, the "Saturday Night Live" comedian believes there should be further investigation into the allegations.

"It's supposed to be a safe place, you know?" he told host Tamron Hall. "It's supposed to be a safe place for kids and to hear all about that it's just like, 'How dare you?'"

Though Thompson did not participate in "Quiet on Set," several other Nickelodeon alums did appear on the documentary, including his "All That" costar Katrina Johnson and Drake & Josh's Drake Bell, who came forward as the unnamed minor involved in the 2004 sexual assault conviction of dialogue coach Brian Peck.

Following the documentary's premiere, Schneider released a 19-minute video addressing the allegations against him. "Watching over the past two nights was very difficult for me," he said in video posted on his YouTube channel March 19. "Facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret, and I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology."

Schneider—who created Nickelodeon hits such as "The Amanda Show," "Zoey 101," "Victorious" and "iCarly" before leaving the network in 2018—continued, "I could be cocky and definitely overambitious and sometimes just straight up rude and obnoxious and I am so sorry that I ever was. When I watched the show, I could see the hurt in some people's eyes and it made me feel awful and regretful and sorry."

Regarding Bell's revelation about his sexual abuse, Schneider clarified that he "did not hire" Peck on his show.

"When Drake and I talked and he told me what had happened," he added, "I was more devastated by that than anything that ever happened to me in my career thus far."

After Bell came forward in the exposé, a spokesperson for Nickelodeon told NBC News, "We are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward."

The statement continued added in part, "Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct."

E! News previously reached out to Nickelodeon for comment on the docuseries and Schneider's comments but did not hear back.

(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)