Ted Lasso star confirms there were plans to bring back Anthony Head before his death

Ted Lasso creator Brendan Hunt revealed that there were plans to bring back actor Anthony Head for the show's final episodes before his death. Head, who played Rupert Mannion, passed away at age 72 due to pneumonia complications.
Why it matters
The loss of a prominent cast member impacts production planning and the narrative conclusion of a popular television series.
Ted Lasso's creator and star Brendan Hunt had hoped to bring Anthony Head back ahead of his death, aged 72. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer icon died on 1 June from complications due to pneumonia.He appeared in the Apple TV series as the villainous Rupert Mannion, who was last seen during season three but referenced several times in the fourth season.Ted Lasso also paid tribute to the actor with an In Memoriam card in Episode 409, but Hunt shared his hopes with Deadline that the star would have returned for new episodes.Related: Best streaming services UK 2026 – including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV"We had an outside hope of bringing him back in the last episode," the Coach Beard actor revealed."We were told that that was not going to be possible.
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