Peloton is sweating over yet another unfavorable TV cameo

David Costabile riding a Peloton bike in Billions season 6
(Image credit: Showtime)

Spoilers follow for Billions season 6 

Yet another unfavorable TV cameo is causing headaches for Peloton and its PR team.

Only a month after the fitness brand took issue with the use of a Peloton exercise bike in HBO’s Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, a similarly unfortunate situation has arisen after the season 6 premiere of Billions.

In the latest episode of the Showtime series, David Costabile’s character, Wags, suffers a heart attack while riding a Peloton bike – a fate that also befell Sex and the City’s Mr Big.

Unlike Mr Big though, Wags’ heart attack isn’t fatal – the Billions character even goes so far as to announce: “I’m not going out like Mr Big!” – but suffice to say, Peloton is rightfully peeved to see another potentially damaging portrayal of its fitness tech appear on screen. 

“We get TV shows want to include [Peloton bikes] to get people talking, but to be clear, we did *not* agree for our brand or IP to be used [in Billions] or provide any equipment,” the company wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “As the show itself points out, cardio-vascular exercise helps people lead long, happy lives.”

With good reason, then, Peloton isn’t happy about the context in which its bikes were used in both Sex and the City and Billions – and this latest gaffe will come as an unwelcome side note in an already turbulent period for the company. 

Taking stock

Peloton suffered another blow last week, when CNBC published a report claiming that the company was planning to pause production of treadmills and exercise bikes. The report was based on leaked internal documents, and Peloton’s CEO and co-founder John Foley was quick to refute claims that the brand was under stress.

“The information the media has obtained is incomplete, out of context, and not reflective of Peloton’s strategy,” Foley wrote in a blog post on the company website.

“Rumors that we are halting all production of bikes and Treads are false,” he added, explaining that the company was instead adjusting production to suit demand and “resetting our production levels for sustainable growth.”

We’ve contacted Peloton for comment and will update this article when we receive a reply, but it looks like customers will be unaffected, and if you’ve been thinking of picking up a Peloton machine for your home gym, you shouldn’t need to worry about them being out of stock.

TOPICS
Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.  Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

Read more
Zwift Smart bike
Zwift's new smart bike is like a PS5 controller with pedals, and Peloton should be worried
An extreme close-up shot of Mark standing in a Lumon hallway in Severance season 2 episode 5
I hate to say it Apple TV+, but Severance season 2 has a pacing problem
Apple Fitness Plus on a TV, iPhone, iPad, and Apple watch
Apple Fitness Plus just announced new workout programs AND a major collaboration with another service, and I couldn't be more excited
Steve Martin and John Mulaney during the “50th Monologue” sketch on February 16, 2025
Forget Netflix, I tuned into Peacock to watch the SNL 50 special and it went off without a hitch – here’s why it’s built for live-streaming
Mark and Devon sitting in a car in Severance season 2 episode 9
Severance season 2 episode 9 recap: 7 new theories I have about 'The After Hours', and answers for Mr Bailiff, devour feculence, Svalbard, and more
Isla Gordon smiles with her arms on her hips as two basketball players stand behind her in Running Point.
Running Point is a Netflix slam dunk – here are 3 more sports comedy shows with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes to enjoy next
Latest in Entertainment
A collage of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk
Marvel fans are already tired of Doomsday and Secret Wars cast gossip as two more superheroes get linked with roles in the next two Avengers movies
Venezuela's forward #09 Jhonder Cadiz celebrates after scoring during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Ecuador and Venezuela, at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium in Quito, on March 21, 2025 ahead of Venezuela vs Peru
Venezuela vs Peru live stream: how to watch today's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier anywhere online
The cast of Alone Australia season 3, standing in a knee-high body of water
How to watch Alone Australia season 3 online – stream the survival show from anywhere
This City Is Ours
How to watch This City Is Ours online – stream Sean Bean crime drama from anywhere
Canada's Val Sweeting competes during the LGT World Womens Curling Championship match for third place ahead of Canada's showing at the Women's Curling World Championships 2025
Women's Curling World Championships live stream: how to watch Uijeongbu 2025 online, schedule, streaming guide
Star Wars BDX Droids walking in Galaxy's Edge.
‘We only build technology in the interest of storytelling’ – Disney’s associate lab director of Robotics on the Star Wars BDX Droids and what lies ahead
Latest in News
DeepSeek
DeepSeek’s new AI is smarter, faster, cheaper, and a real rival to OpenAI's models
Open AI
OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
An aerial view of an Instavolt Superhub for charging electric vehicles
Forget gas stations – EV charging Superhubs are using solar power to solve the most annoying thing about electric motoring