#Drake Bell: Former Nickelodeon Star Responds to Ex-Girlfriend’s Abuse Allegations

Actor Drake Bell has denied allegations of abuse leveled against him by his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Lingafelt. 

Lingafelt took to TikTok Wednesday and alleged that Bell verbally and physically abused her when they were in a relationship and lived together.

A representative for Bell has now spoken out against the allegations to Variety, and the actor has denied physically assaulting his ex. 

However, he did state that both parties engaged in heated arguments at the end of their three-year relationship.

“I never abused my ex-girlfriend or did so many of the other things Melissa falsely claimed on her TikTok video,” Bell’s statement reads. 

“As our relationship ended — more than a decade ago — we, unfortunately, both called each other terrible names, as often happens when couples are breaking up.”

Bell goes on to state that he was giving Melissa financial support just a year ago. 

“But that is it. Clearly, Melissa still felt close enough to me just last year that she was comfortable reaching out to ask me to provide her with financial support during a tough time (which I did).”

“I do not know if today’s behavior is some kind of misguided quest for more money or attention,” he added, before stating that he could take legal action against Melissa. 

“But I cannot and will not allow these offensive and defamatory allegations to go unchallenged and I am reviewing my legal options.”

Melissa, for her part, shared a montage of photos of her and Bell, and narrated her allegations on the video sharing website. 

“First, I would like to start out with saying I don’t really care if anyone believes me as this is my story and my life and something I went through,” she explained, expounding as follows:

“It wasn’t until recently that I actually realized that abuse is something that all women have to go through.”

“When I started dating Drake, I was 16. I was home-schooled. I moved in with him. I was singing. It wasn’t until about a year when the verbal abuse started.”

She went on to detail the abuse.

“And when I say verbal abuse, imagine the worst type of verbal abuse you could ever imagine, and that was what I got.”

She then detailed an event in which Bell allegedly dragged her down the stairs.

“It then turned into physical — hitting, throwing, everything. At the pinnacle of it, he drug me down the stairs of our house in Los Feliz.”

“My face hit every step on the way down. I have photos of this. I don’t even want to get into the underage girls thing. I mean I will, but I’m scared.”

Lingafelt later updated her post with what appeared to be text messages with other people allegedly saying he was abusive. 

One of those names is Gillian Leos, who claims she dated Bell and that he is a “narcissistic sociopath” who broke every single phone she had while dating. 

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.