Anthony Head Dies: ‘Ted Lasso’ & ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Star Was 72

Anthony Head has died; the actor known for his roles in Ted Lasso and Buffy the Vampire Slayer was 72 years old.

Head’s daughters, Emily and Daisy, shared the news of his death with BBC News, saying he “passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father,” they shared. “It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.”

Along with his role as Rebecca Welton’s (Hannah Waddingham) ex, Rupert, in the Emmy-winning Apple TV series Ted Lasso, Head is most famous for his portrayal of another Rupert in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Ruper Giles was the mentor to Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s titular character.

Additionally, he played Lord Sheffield in Bridgerton‘s second season opposite Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley, and Shelley Conn. Other TV credits for Head include The Stranger, The Split, Girlfriends, Still Star-Crossed, Dominion, Merlin, Doctor Who, and Manchild. Meanwhile, his film roster includes Lady Chatterly’s Lover, The Inbetweeners, The Iron Lady, and most recently Upgraded in 2024. He also appeared in iconic BBC radio drama The Archers.

In addition to his work in film and television, Head famously featured in a slew of Taster’s Choice coffee commercials, which chronicled the budding romance between two neighbors who loved the same brew. He also got his break in show business with his performance on the West End as Jesus in Godspell. Other theater productions Head was a part of included The Rocky Horror Show and Yonadab.

In Head’s personal life, he’d been with his partner Sarah Fisher since 1982, sharing decades together until her death in 2025. The actor leaves behind their daughters, Daisy and Emily, both of whom are actors themselves. Additionally, Head was the younger brother to actor Murray Head.