Peleton husband says he has no regrets about commercial

The husband from the infamous Peloton commercial deemed sexist says he has no regrets about filming the Christmas-themed ad.

The exercise equipment company was bashed on Monday over the commercial titled The Gift That Gives Back, in which a woman receives a stationary bike from her husband on Christmas morning. 

She then documents her year-long fitness journey in a series of selfie clips that she compiles into a thank you video for her husband.

Viewers trashed the ad on Twitter, calling it sexist, misogynistic, humiliating and cringeworthy.

But Sean Hunter, a Canadian actor and gym teacher, says he’s glad he filmed the commercial and that his friends and students know his true character.  

Sean Hunter (left and right) plays the husband in the now-infamous commercial for the Peloton stationary bike. Hunter said he’s glad he filmed the commercial and has no regrets

The ad shows a woman receiving a Peloton from her husband on Christmas She documents her year-long fitness journey in videos before compiling the clips into a thank you video for her husband

Backlash immediately followed the 30-second ad with the husband character being called ‘abusive’ and ‘a symbol of the patriarchy’.

However, Hunter had embraced the spotlight, even changing his handle on Instagram to Peloton Husband.

‘When you book something, it’s hard to know what the repercussions will be,’ he told Lion Share News. 

‘…I had no idea it would turn into this. Hypothetically let’s say I did know… I think I still would…I’m very happy I did the commercial.’

He said he’s spoken to his on-screen wife and said she’s ‘blown away’ by the controversy.

‘She called me and she was questioning her own acting abilities,’ Hunter said.

‘And I said: “No. Stop. Stop that because your acting was great. We had such good chemistry on set. It was the story line.”‘

Hunter, who is also a gym teacher for kindergarten through seventh grade, said he’s had a positive reception from his students.

‘They know me, they know who I am and that’s the point I’m trying to get out there,’ he said.

‘Of course these negative messages aren’t who I am as a person. It’s all comments about this character and they’re spinning it and throwing it out of proportion. It’s become quite something.’

Social media users blasted the commercial sexist and misogynistic and called the husband ‘a symbol of the patriarchy’

Hunter says the backlash led to his on-screen wife (pictured, in the commerical) doubting her acting abilities

After losing $1.6 billion in market value, by Friday, stock had climbed to $32.83 per share

Peloton Interactive Inc’s stock fell 9.12 percent on Tuesday, and analysts attributed the drop to negative publicity over the ad.

On Thursday, shares of the company fell once again, this time by five percent. At the close of trading on Wall Street, Peloton stock was at $31.31 per share.

Before the controversy erupted on Monday, shares of Peloton were selling at slightly below $37.

That means the company lost about $1.6 billion in market value. 

By Friday, stock had climbed to $32.83 per share.

Founded in 2012, Peloton sells indoor exercise bicycles and offers packages requiring memberships to access live and on-demand classes from home. Its flagship product is a stationary bike priced at more than $2,200.

The company’s stock has risen 10% since its initial public offering in September as investors bet on the growing popularity of its bicycles that offer on-demand workout programs.