And now for some non-VMA gossip!

The lucky recipient of those nakie pics of Vanessa Hudgens was… Drake Bell! The now-famous starlet e-mailed the risqué photos to him a few years ago, an insider tells People. (In 2006, Vanessa appeared in an eppie of Drake and Josh as his GF.) Aww, a Disney star courting a Nickelodeon star -- how Romeo & Juliet!

On Friday, Vanessa apologized for the photos in a statement. "I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me,” the High School Musical star said. “I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos. I am thankful for the support of my family and friends."

And contrary to earlier reports, Vanessa isn't being expelled from High School Musical 3 -- at least not yet. "Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment," a spokesperson for the Disney Channel told Us Weekly. "We hope she's learned a valuable lesson." When asked if Vanessa's role would be re-cast, the spokesperson said, "Walt Disney Studios, as a matter of policy, doesn't comment on ongoing negotiations."