How Ted Lasso honors beloved actor who died after filming

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Ted Lasso has paid tribute to the late Anthony Head during season 4 by dedicating an episode to his memory.

Head, who died in June at age 72, played former AFC Richmond owner Rupert Mannion. He made sporadic appearances during the first two seasons, later joining as a series regular for season three.

At the end of the penultimate episode of Ted Lasso season 4, a card flashed on the screen that read: “In Memory of Anthony Head.”

While it was expected that the series would honor Head at some point during the season, the card came at the end of an episode that heavily referenced Head’s character, though he did not make a physical appearance.

Head did not film for season 4 of the series. Sources told Deadline that storylines weren’t changed after Head’s death and that there were no plans in place to have him film for the season.

‘Ted Lasso’ honored Anthony Head during the penultimate episode of season 4 (Apple TV)

Anthony Head died at age 72 in June (PA)

His character has not been written out of the show, so if Ted Lasso does get renewed for season 5, it’s possible Head’s death will then be formally addressed within the context of the show.

Head gained recognition in the U.K. in the Eighties through ads for Nescafé’s Gold Blend coffee, opposite Sharon Maughan, becoming known as the “Gold Blend Man.”

His breakthrough role came in 1997, when he was cast as librarian Rupert Giles in the hit teen sci-fi show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the title role.

Head enjoyed further roles in shows including Little Britain, Silent Witness, My Family, The Inbetweeners and Monarch of the Glen, also appearing in films such as The Iron Lady opposite Meryl Streep, as Margaret Thatcher’s longest-serving cabinet member and eventual deputy, Geoffrey Howe.

Anthony Head was honored at the end of 'Ted Lasso' season 4, episode 9 — Anthony Head was honored at the end of ‘Ted Lasso’ season 4, episode 9 (Apple TV+)

Season four of Ted Lasso sees Jason Sudeikis’s eponymous soccer coach return to England to manage Richmond FC’s newly launched, second-division women’s team.

The change in plot focus meant that the original stars who portrayed the men’s soccer team in the first three seasons do not appear in season four.

This includes a number of fan favorites: Toheeb Jimoh’s Sam Obisanya, Cristo Fernández’s Dani Rojas, Kola Bokinni’s Isaac McAdoo, Billy Harris’s Collin Hughes, and Nick Mohammed’s former AFC Richmond assistant coach-turned-rival-West Ham United coach, Nathan Shelley.

Their absence was addressed in the final scene of season four’s premiere episode.

The season finale of Ted Lasso drops October 7 on Apple TV+.