Ted Lasso has paid tribute to the late Anthony Head during the penultimate episode of its fourth season.
Anthony – who died in June at the age of 72 – appeared throughout the three prior seasons as former AFC Richmond owner, and Rebecca Walton’s ex-husband, Rupert Mannion.
Earlier in the current season, Higgins and Mae had grown suspicious that Rupert had secretly been buying shares to regain control of Richmond.
However, in the most recent episode, it was deduced that Zelda, not Rupert, had been behind the shady operation.
At the end of the episode, a card flashed up on the screen that read: “In memory of Anthony Head.”
Deadline previously reported that no storylines for Ted Lasso’s fourth season were changed after the Buffy The Vampire Slayer actor’s death, and there had never been plans for Rupert to return to the Apple TV+ series.
Annette Badland, who played pub owner, Mae, also paid tribute to the “much missed” actor and “beautiful man” during an interview published after the latest episode aired.
“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 told the Radio Times.
“We will miss him, I respect him, and it’s a great honour to be in the episode that is dedicated to him”.
Hannah Waddingham, who starred as Anthony’s on-screen ex-wife and sparring partner in Ted Lasso, celebrated the late actor in a July interview with Marie Claire.
“There is no Rebecca without Rupert. He undoubtedly made my Rebecca what she was,” she emotionally declared.
Speaking in the first interview since Anthony’s death, Hannah praised her friend and co-star, remembering him as “one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever met”.
“He loved the craft, loved his fellow actors entirely, knew everybody on the crew’s name and was always there for everyone else,” she said.
Recalling one particularly fond memory of filming the season three dinner party, which descended into chaos, she added: “When we did the food fight scene, we were literally like two 12-year-olds.”
Season four of Ted Lasso concludes on Wednesday 7 October on Apple TV+.
