And just like that, Peloton resurrects beloved Sex and the City character after shock death
Mr Big and Allegra in the Peloton advert, with two bikes featuring behind them
After devastating Sex and the City fans when his character was killed off in the first episode of its new spin-off, actor Chris Noth has reappeared as Mr Big in an ad for Peloton - the makers of the exercise bike he was using on-screen when the character died.
The beloved John James Preston, better known as ‘Mr Big’, was seen at the close of the pilot episode of And Just Like That... grasping his chest after taking part in a 45-minute exercise bike class at the home he shared with Carrie Bradshaw before falling to the ground. He later dies in his wife’s arms.
Carrie’s final words to her husband as she left the apartment were “Tell that whore, Allegra I said bye,” a reference to his preferred instructor, played by real-life Peloton instructor Jess King.
After initially releasing a statement distancing the bike in the scene from Big’s death, Peloton have embraced the scene, which was a massive talking point among shocked viewers, and in an impressively quick move have shared an advert featuring the actor in which Big is still alive and now living with ‘Allegra’.
They toast their relationship and Noth says: “To new beginnings.” "You look great," King says. "I feel great," Noth replies. Gesturing towards a Peloton in the distance, he asks King: “Shall we take another ride? Life’s too short not to.”
Narrator Ryan Reynolds rattles off some health info about exercise bikes, hilariously stressing that Big is back and his healthy habits will prolong his life.
“And just like that, the world was reminded that cycling stimulates your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. He’s alive.”
In a statement to Variety, Peloton senior communications lead Denise Kelly explains how the company produced the advert so quickly, revealing it was filmed and released over the weekend.
“Working with Ryan Reynolds and his marketing company, Maximum Effort, we filmed a spot with actor Chris Noth and Peloton instructor Jess King. We filmed the spot in New York City this weekend and the entire project came together in less than 48 hours,” she says.
“Maximum Effort was recently acquired by software company MNTN, and Peloton was an early hand-raiser to be a part of MNTN’s new Creative-As-A-Subscription (CaaS) service. This enabled both teams to quickly together to produce this ad.”
As fans reeled from the sudden loss of a beloved character last week, Peloton released a statement on Friday amid tumbling stock prices noting that Big’s boozy lifestyle was more likely a contribution to his heart attack in the series, and their bike may have actually bought the character a few years.
“Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks—and was at serious risk,” Dr Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist on Peloton’s health and wellness advisory council, says in a statement from the brand.
“These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death.”
Dr Steinbaum, who describes herself as a Sex and the City fan, said she was saddened by Mr Big’s death but says she sees the silver lining in his exercise regime: “Riding his Peloton bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event.”
Big had a history of health trouble throughout the original series, and he even had surgery on a blocked artery in season six.
