Ted Lasso has honoured late actor Anthony Head with a poignant tribute following his death at the age of 72.
The penultimate episode of the fourth season concluded with a deeply moving “In Memory of Anthony Head” card, honouring the actor who portrayed the Apple TV show’s original antagonist, Rupert Mannion.
Mr Head, renowned for his roles in both Ted Lasso and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, passed away on June 1 at the age of 72, with his daughters citing complications from pneumonia as the cause.
The episode, titled “Mae Rides the Bus,” was already an emotional one.
Ted Lasso paid a touching tribute to late actor Anthony Head following his death aged 72
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GETTY
It depicted the death of Mae Green, the beloved owner of The Crown & Anchor pub, played by Annette Badland.
Ms Badland, speaking to Deadline about her character’s shocking departure, shared fond memories of her late co-star.
“He was a beautiful man, and he will be much missed,” she said, recalling the iconic darts scene from the first season that took place in Mae’s pub.
“He was charming and funny and generous, and we’d have naughty little sort of asides.”
Anthony Head played Rupert Mannion in the hit comedy series
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Production on the fourth season had finished in January, several months prior to Mr Head’s death.
Many viewers had initially expected the tribute to appear in an episode featuring his character.
Ms Badland revealed she had been unaware of Mr Head’s illness.
“I assumed he would be in this last [season], and didn’t know, as I think very few people knew, he was ill and just couldn’t do it,” she said.
Mr Head passed away aged 72
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There had been no formal plans for Mr Head to appear in the new season, and no official approach had been made to him.
Mr Head’s character, Rupert, was barely mentioned in the first seven episodes before returning in Episode 408.
In that episode, Mr Higgins followed Mae’s advice to “follow the anger” and discovered Rupert was secretly buying shares to regain control of AFC Richmond.
That thread carried into Episode 409, only for a surprise twist to reveal that Tracey Ullman’s Zelda Southport, not Rupert, was the true architect of the scheme and stood on the brink of becoming the club’s majority owner.
The revelation prompted speculation that the show had shifted its villain in response to Mr Head’s death.
However, according to sources, no fourth-season storylines were altered following his passing.
The producers determined that placing the memorial card after Episode 409 was most fitting, as Rupert’s two-episode arc had concluded.
Running it a week earlier would also have undermined the Zelda twist.
Annette Badland described the late actor as a ‘beautiful man’
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APPLE TV
Mr Head appeared as a recurring cast member during Ted Lasso’s first two seasons before being elevated to series regular for the third.
His character Rupert, Rebecca’s unfaithful ex-husband who lost Richmond to her in their divorce, served as the primary antagonist across the show’s original three-season run.
He went on to purchase West Ham United and lured Nathan Shelley away from Richmond, only to lose that club in the Season 3 finale.
Mr Head’s final acting credits were the third season of Ted Lasso in 2023 and the Prime Video film Upgraded in 2024.
Television tradition often sees characters written out to reflect an actor’s real-life death, and with a fifth season not yet confirmed but reportedly looking promising, Rupert’s fate may be addressed then.
Ms Badland offered a final tribute: “We will miss him, I respect him, and it’s a great honour to be in the episode that is dedicated to him.”