No, TMZ did not report Josh Peck accepted hush money from Dan Schneider | Fact check

Gabrielle Settles, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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The claim: TMZ reported Josh Peck's wife wants a divorce because of 'hush money' from Dan Schneider

A March 24 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a photo of former Nickelodeon actor Josh Peck and his wife, actor Paige O'Brien, along with a picture of Dan Schneider, a former Nickelodeon producer accused of racism, sexism, harassment and verbal abuse involving child actors.

The image includes a logo from the tabloid TMZ and a purported news report:

"Paige O'Brien Peck, wife of former Nickelodeon star Josh Peck has come out and said she wants a divorce from Josh Peck after she finds proof of him accepting hush money from Nickelodeon's producer Dan Schneider back in 2023," the text on the picture reads. "Paige stated 'I feel for josh and all the other child stars, but accepting hush money is supporting Dan's behavior'." (sic)

The photo was shared on Facebook more than 2,000 times in two days.

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Our rating: False

TMZ did not report this story. There are no reports from credible sources that O'Brien is seeking a divorce or that Peck accepted hush money from Schneider.

Peck has shown support for former co-star Drake Bell

Schneider and other Nickelodeon executives have come under increasing scrutiny after former child stars and crew members alleged a culture of toxicity and inappropriate behavior from adults who worked on several network shows in the '90s and 2000s. Their stories are detailed in the documentary series "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kid's TV." Schneider has denied the claims.

One of the shows mentioned in the documentary is "Drake and Josh," in which Peck co-starred with Drake Bell. Bell detailed the sexual abuse he endured from producer Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck). Brian Peck was convicted in 2004.

Josh Peck has been outspoken in support of Bell since the documentary came out.

There is no evidence to support the claim that Josh Peck accepted hush money from Dan Schneider. The report does not appear on TMZ's website or its social media pages, including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram or Facebook. The tabloid did not respond to requests for comment.

The Facebook post's image includes several grammatical errors, and the font is different from a typical TMZ post, further indicating it is not a legitimate report.

There are no reports from credible sources that Josh Peck and O'Brien are divorcing, either.

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USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Report on Josh Peck hush money, divorce is fabricated | Fact check