Deleted scenes from Nickelodeon shows that the network couldn’t show us

While Miranda Cosgrove was already a Nickelodeon star with iCarly thanks to her role as Megan in Drake & Josh, the series also introduced audiences to two new faces: Nathan Kress and Jennette McCurdy. Kress played Freddie, Carly’s neighbor who craves her affections, which led to him agreeing to help her and Sam (McCurdy) produce a web series together. Although Freddie eventually has an unlikely romantic history with Sam, he spends most of the show developing a crush on Carly.

In fact, that character detail resulted in Kress being cut from a Drake & Josh episode in its fourth season. The episode “Battle of Panthatar” takes place at a classmate’s Sweet 16 party that Drake and Josh are trying to infiltrate. Another participant in the party is played by Kress, who, similar to Freddie, tries unsuccessfully to flirt with Megan. However, by the time the episode aired, Kress had been cast in iCarly, causing its scenes to be cut, although Kress can be seen in the background of some scenes.

Kress later credited his appearance, or rather lack of it, in Drake & Josh as a turning point in his career, telling Scholastic that the creator of iCarly “fulfilled” thanks to his performance [he] fit the role to play Freddie.” It’s quite a coincidence for Kress, who continues to play Freddie in the Paramount+ “iCarly” reboot, which continues his will-they-won’t-they with Carly.