The return of Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso for a fourth season brings back Jason Sudeikis as the optimistic football coach, but according to actor and co-showrunner Brendan Hunt speaking to Variety, several original cast members will not reprise their roles because the narrative shifts focus to a women’s football team.
Why AFC Richmond Men’s Cast Members Didn’t Return
The fourth season follows Ted Lasso leading Richmond’s Women’s Football Club with Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), coach Willis Beard (Brendan Hunt), and Keeley Jones (Juno Temple). According to Brendan Hunt’s interview with Variety, phil Dunster—who played midfielder Jamie Tartt—could not make filming work with his schedule. Dunster currently stars in the Steve Carell comedy Rooster, created by Bill Lawrence.
Beyond scheduling conflicts, Hunt noted that keeping the entire men’s roster would have strained narrative credibility. According to Hunt, if the Richmond FC men’s team was performing well, the top players would have been bought by bigger clubs. Consequently, actors like Toheeb Jimoh, Kola Bokinni, and Cristo Fernández did not return as footballers.
Jason Sudeikis and the Decision to Revive Ted Lasso
Season three of Ted Lasso was previously framed as its final outing. According to Brendan Hunt in Variety, reviving the show required careful patience from the creative team. Hunt stated that he never pressured Sudeikis, exchanging only occasional messages of intrigue every few months before Sudeikis finally announced plans for the women’s team storyline.
Jason Sudeikis told Variety last month that he made very difficult individual phone calls to the former cast members to explain that their characters were written out. Sudeikis stated he wanted to deliver the news personally so the actors would not hear it on the internet, noting that the cast went through the experience together.
Did you know? The season four premiere pays tribute to the original cast by featuring a wall of AFC Richmond memorabilia. The set includes a photo of the entire men’s team, a picture of former assistant coach Nathan Shelley (Nick Mohammed) jumping into Ted’s arms, and a newspaper clipping written by fictional The Independent journalist Trent Crimm (James Lance).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t Phil Dunster in Ted Lasso season 4?
According to Brendan Hunt, Phil Dunster had scheduling conflicts with the Steve Carell comedy Rooster, and keeping the old men’s team together would not have made narrative sense for the club’s trajectory.
Who stars in Ted Lasso season 4?
The fourth season stars Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Juno Temple, and new addition Tanya Reynolds.
Is season 4 about the men’s team?
No, the new series shifts its focus to Richmond’s Women’s Football Club.
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