EXCLUSIVE : Ted Lasso fans, this is not a drill. In a major step toward the long-awaited fourth season of Apple TV+’s hugely popular soccer comedy, the series’ studio Warner Bros. Television has picked up the options on the three original cast members who had been contracted under the aegis of the UK acting union Equity, sources tell Deadline.
They are Hannah Waddingham , who plays AFC Wimbledon owner Rebecca Walton, Brett Goldstein , who plays hardman Roy Kent and Jeremy Swift , who plays Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins. After securing the trio, the studio is expected to start reaching out to Ted Lasso cast members with SAG-AFTRA contracts whose options had expired, so they will need to make new deals, we hear. In addition to co-creators/executive producers Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) and Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), the list is believed to include Juno Temple (Keeley Jones).
It is unclear creatively which other Ted Lasso stars may be approached about Season 4; the cast have all said repeatedly that they would be happy to reprise their roles if an opportunity arises. Getting the cast back paves the way toward a Season 4 greenlight, contingent on budget approval and scheduling as actors whose options have lapsed may have joined other series that have them in first position, sources said. While the outreach to the cast is underway, early preparations are also being made to open a writers room.
If all elements come together, we hear production on a fourth seaso.