Spoilers from the And Just Like That… premiere ahead.
After months of being teased with the news that something big would happen to Big in the Sex And The City revival And Just Like That…, fans finally got their confirmation. No, Big and Carrie didn’t get divorced—he surprisingly remained a good husband all this time. Instead, he died from a heart attack while riding his Peloton. It beats the bizarre and low-key distressing viral Peloton ad from 2019 as perhaps the worst Peloton ad of all time.
We couldn’t help but wonder… why did Peloton sign off on having someone die on their bike?
Well, it turns out HBO didn’t tell Peloton what the bike would be used for, due to “confidentiality reasons.” Peloton spokesperson Denise Kelly told BuzzFeed News that the only details HBO disclosed were “that a Bike would be used in the episode and that Jess King would be portraying a fictional Peloton instructor.”
And though Steve hinted in the episode that the workout was the final nail in the coffin (sorry) contributing to Big’s death—since he already had heart problems—Peloton’s own cardiologist blames Big’s “extravagant lifestyle,” rather than his workout of choice. (It’s said on the show that Big had just had his 1,000th ride when he died, so he really loved his Peloton).
“I’m sure SATC fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr. Big dies of a heart attack. Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle— including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks—and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in season 6,” said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum in a statement to E! News.
She even goes as far as saying that Big’s Peloton may have even delayed his heart attack. “These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event.”
This is all a bit too much for a death that was written in so someone could bring the sex back to Sex And The City now that Samantha—the only singleton—is gone, but sure, let’s blame it on the steaks and cosmos.