Peloton Instructor sues for £1.6 million

The exercise bike maker Peloton is being sued by a former instructor for the sum of £1.6m ($1.8m).

The allegations allege disability discrimination and that Peloton staff made fun of his Irish accent. Consequently, Daniel McKenna, who hosted virtual workout classes for Peloton subscribers, and was seemingly a popular instructor, is suing the company for wrongful dismissal, discrimination and harassment. 

Mr McKenna was sacked on September 12, 2022 and alleges that he was subjected to a campaign of harassment by Jennifer Cotter, Peloton's head of content.

According to a court documents, Ms Cotter made jokes at Mr McKenna's expense in front of other Peloton staff. She was said to have said, "I hope you're not drunk, Daniel" and "nobody understands what you're saying, Daniel."

He has alleged that Ms Cotter told other staff that he was "our Irish instructor, he's rough around the edges and hard to understand."

Peloton sells exercise bikes for more than £1,300 and treadmills cost £3,345 each. They run remote exercise classes hosted by a team of fitness instructors. In a difficult financial market the company's share price has dropped significantly and they have dismissed hundreds of staff.