David Farnor | On 27, Aug 2024

A fourth season of Ted Lasso is on the cards for Apple TV+, as the initial plays are made off the pitch to get the show back on our screens.

The comedy stars Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, a small-time college football coach from Kansas who is hired to coach a professional soccer team in England despite having no experience coaching soccer. The series also stars Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster and Nick Mohammed. In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence (Scrubs), with the show based on a character who was first created as part of a series of joke promos for NBC Sports in the US.

It emerged as a breakout winner for Apple TV+, winning back-to-back Emmy Award wins for Outstanding Comedy Series. Its third season arrived in March 2023, to more lukewarm reviews as Lawrence stepped away to focus on another Apple TV+ series, Shrinking. The season wrapped up events in a way that was received as a fitting finale to bid farewell to the characters, although there was speculation about spin-off shows featuring the return of some of the fan favourites.

Apple and Warner Bros TV have previously said that they would be happy to renew the series, but only if Sudeikis was willing to go ahead. A year on and Apple is becoming increasingly cautious, in line with Amazon and Netflix’s strategies, when it comes to commissioning and budgets. Nonetheless, it now looks like a fourth season could be on the way.

Deadline reports that three of the original cast members, who had been contracted under Equity, have had their options picked up – Hannah Waddingham (AFC Richmond’s boss, Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (former footballing tough guy Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (AFC Richmond’s number two, Leslie Higgins). The next step is expected to be approaching other cast members previously signed under SAG-AFTRA, whose options have expired. Deadline reports that Phil Dunster (who plays heartthrob Jamie Tart) has not been picked up, as he moves on to other projects, including Amazon’s The Devil’s Hour.

If all the key players come together to form a team, production would be expected to be in early 2025. Watch this space.

Add to Watchlist