The Jerry Trainor controversy, explained

Jerry Trainor has been swept up in controversy following the bombshell allegations leveled against Nickelodeon in the new documentary, Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV. 

While Trainor — who portrayed the character of Spencer Shay in Nickelodeon’s flagship sitcom iCarly — is not mentioned in any of the allegations, his name has naturally appeared in online discussions ever since the release of Quiet On Set. 

For those who need a refresher, the documentary, which premiered on March 17, detailed shocking allegations of a toxic work culture at Nickelodeon, focusing specifically on the alleged misconduct perpetrated by former producer Dan Schneider and allegations of sexual assault at the hands of dialogue coach Brian Peck. 

Quiet On Set featured testimonies from child stars like Drake Bell as well as former adult employees, with a specific focus on the set environments on 1990s and 2000s shows like All That, The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, and iCarly. Now, Trainor has been involved in the chatter by nature of his work on iCarly, but just how does the actor factor into the controversy?

The Jerry Trainor controversy, explained

It’s worth reiterating that Jerry Trainor is not directly implicated in the allegations raised in Quiet On Set, but has been involved in conversations following his decision to unfollow both Nickelodeon and iCarly on social media. The move was noted shortly after the release of the documentary, and was taken by fans as an effort by Trainor to distance himself from the network in the wake of the allegations. 

Trainor’s iCarly castmate Nathan Kress, who played Freddie Benson, was also seen to have unfollowed both the show’s official Instagram and that of Nickelodeon. It was reported that Kress, who also appeared in the most recent season of the iCarly reboot that aired in 2023, had also made the decision to part ways with Nickelodeon following Quiet on Set. 

Trainor was again involved in online chatter around the documentary when old clips of the actor supporting his younger castmates resurfaced on TikTok. Taken with his unfollowing of his former network, users were quick to identify Trainor as a consistent advocate for the protection and wellbeing of his castmates, citing multiple past interviews in which he praised iCarly star Miranda Cosgrove. 

Fans also noted Trainor’s consistent championing of Jennette McCurdy, who starred in both iCarly and fellow Nickelodeon show Sam & Cat. Trainor is one of multiple Nickelodeon stars to address Quiet On set, with Josh Peck and Nancy Sullivan of Drake & Josh and Jack Salvatore Jr. of Zoey101 all releasing statements, among many others. 

There has been support on the opposing side, too, with actors like James Marsden and Will Friedle writing letters in support of Brian Peck during his court case.