Jason Sudeikis’s mustache is making a strong comeback. “Ted Lasso,” the dramedy about an extremely optimistic American football coach in London, will return for a fourth season, announced Apple TV+ on Friday.
The streaming platform did not specify when the new episodes will be available or at what stage of production they are in. In a statement, Sudeikis, the star and executive producer of the series, hinted that the new episodes will be about taking risks.
“In the fourth season, the AFC Richmond team learns to JUMP BEFORE LOOKING, discovering that wherever they land, is exactly where they should be.”
Sudeikis introduced Ted Lasso in 2013 to promote NBC Sports' coverage of the English Premier League. In a short film, Lasso played the coach of London’s Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. It quickly became clear that he knew little, or nothing, about soccer.
“Lasso said in a simulated press conference, ‘They are going to play with all their strength for all four quarters.’ ‘Do we have any goals for this season? Of course. We are going to win many games and we are going to qualify for the playoffs.’ ‘There are no playoffs,’ a reporter from the audience corrected. The segment was so popular that they chose Sudeikis to reprise the role the following year.”
The idea of writing a series about the character came up, but it didn’t materialize until Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”, “Cougar Town”) helped Apple TV+ to hire it. “Ted Lasso” premiered in August 2020, during the lockdown due to the pandemic. This version of Lasso was the new coach of a fictional London football team called AFC Richmond. His cheerful character allowed him to win over even the grumpiest football fans, not to mention viewers tired of staying at home.
“It’s the version of me that I would like to be,” Sudeikis told AP before its premiere. “It has its ups and downs, like anyone. But it is eternally optimistic, hopeful, and sincere.”
“Ted Lasso” has won seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including the award for best comedy series in its first two seasons. It turned its supporting cast, including Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, and Juno Temple, into stars.