Just when Ted Lasso fans were reaching the “acceptance” stage of the grieving process, it looks like the show could be in the process of coming back.
The Apple TV+ aired its third season in 2023, with all signs since then indicating that it would not be returning for another.
Creator and star Jason Sudeikis always said he’d envisaged Ted Lasso as a three-season story arc, with most plot points being wrapped up neatly in the latest finale.
However, over the weekend, Deadline reported that cast members Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift had all had their contracts been renewed by Apple, making a fourth series look extremely likely.
The industry outlet went on to claim that Apple would now seek out the show’s US-based cast members to get them back for a new batch of episodes.
And to say the announcement caught fans off guard would be a bit of an understatement:
me: moved on, minding my own business
— ???????????????????? (@jjuluris) August 24, 2024
ted lasso season 4: pic.twitter.com/d27Z8Jy8qz
https://t.co/vMYizITrabpic.twitter.com/ocbOm3OpBU
— earl of risk (@earlofrisk1) August 24, 2024
me, minding my own business:
— mads ???????? (@jimsrippedshirt) August 24, 2024
ted lasso season 4 announcement on a random saturday in august over a year after its series finale: pic.twitter.com/UXsneSPkXk
me finally “ted lasso
— jo (@lassoleil) August 24, 2024
healing from season 4”
losing ted lasso pic.twitter.com/dg20l7Nrte
the ted lasso cast waking up and discovering s4 is apparently happening pic.twitter.com/lAPqA0ZMQN
— char???? (@lorelaiswelton) August 24, 2024
ted lasso season 4 opening scene pic.twitter.com/Rwj5kBW4RE
— jordyn (@gilmoregiirls) August 24, 2024
Ted Lasso, WHO IS NOT DEAD pic.twitter.com/biTdEx4S8o
— (Cas) Casara123???? (@CasaraSmith) August 24, 2024
Is this real??? Am i dreaming??? pic.twitter.com/zdg6e6kK0E
— ✨ disco trap ✨ (@lookatdewayne) August 24, 2024
literally crying my attachment to this silly little show is never going away https://t.co/wihfyzaR2f
— chlo (@klooweeee) August 24, 2024
thought i was being pranked by a fake blue check account https://t.co/Ydu96Wl9XW
— homeless ball pit witch (@olviacolman) August 24, 2024
when ted lasso comes back after everyone i know insisted it was the end and wouldn’t listen to me that it wasn’t i will be avenged https://t.co/ZerQHQyLmX
— noa ???? (@thenoasletter) August 24, 2024
DO NOT PLAY WITH ME!!!!! https://t.co/T3U0kXbQkq
— Jess✨ (@Jiehsikahhh) August 24, 2024
kind of the best news I’ve heard all year https://t.co/TlG56v0zJ8
— Katelyn (@katelynnmensah_) August 24, 2024
SHUTUP! Is this a joke? Please tell me it’s not a joke. I was so sad when Ted Lasso ended. We’re getting another season!!!! https://t.co/qujZIyuA1O
— Khadijah Hardiman (@Dijah4evajonas) August 24, 2024
Meanwhile, it’s been suggested that Phil Dunster will not be returning for the fourth season due to prior filming commitments.
The CEO of Warner Bros TV, the production company behind Ted Lasso, teased earlier this year that “conversations” had already taken place about the show returning.
In his own interview with Deadline last year, Jason said he had reached the “end of this story that we wanted to tell”, though admitted it was “flattering” that fans still want more Ted Lasso.
He also suggested that he was open to exploring the show’s future in a potential spin-off.
Ted Lasso’s break-out star Hannah Waddingham, who played AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton, certainly made no secret of her disappointment about the show coming to an end last year.
She has even suggested that she might have to hatch a plan to get Jason to keep the show going, and while she has spoken about being open to the idea of a spin-off, back in April she said that would only be if “the man himself is down”.
