Ted Lasso came out right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when many parts of the world were still under lockdown. After dropping the first three episodes together on premiere day, subsequent episodes came out weekly on Fridays, giving the world something to look forward to in such a stressful period. While many instantly fell in love with the endlessly optimistic Ted (played by Jason Sudeikis), it quickly turned into a huge ensemble show absolutely over-flowing with character arcs.
Fan favourite actors like Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Hannah Waddingham, and Juno Temple enthralled audiences for three straight seasons until it closed out in 2023. Ever since, people have been begging for more. Season 4 premiered on August 5, 2026 and pulled in 296.6 million viewing minutes in the United States across its August 4–5 launch window. While most fans are delighted, some have expressed upset with the fact that a huge chunk of the iconic characters are missing. So, what happened? Will they return, or are they written out completely and on to other things? Let’s take a look.
Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt
Season one of Ted Lasso gave us a footballer to hate with Jamie Tartt (played by Phil Dunster). He was brash, immature, loud, and abrasive. As the most skilled man of Richmond, he didn’t use this to better the team, he simply aimed to steal all of the glory. As he began to mature and we learned of his difficult relationship with his father, he begun to let his guard down and he slowly transitioned into a multi-dimensional character. To the majority of the fans of the show, by season 3, he was no longer the character you love to hate, he was the one you love and can’t take your eyes off.
With season 4 shifting gears and focusing on the women’s Richmond team, it feels like Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) is only being kept around for a will-they-won’t-they love story with Keeley (Juno Temple). He is now the coach of the men’s team after Ted left, but the players have only been shown briefly in a waste down shot of them running onto the pitch. Jamie Tartt is the most frustrating exclusion as season 3 saw him not only grow as a man and begin to treat women better, but it also saw him become good friends with Roy after countless fistfights and arguments. Although it was initially announced that Dunster would not be returning, he made a surprise appearance in episode 6. However, his character has been confirmed to have left the team, so more appearances are unlikely. Dunster will next be seen in season 3 of The Devil’s Hour. He also recently crossed the pond and shared the screen with Steve Carell in Rooster.
Nick Mohammed as Nathan Shelley
Nathan Shelley’s character arc was the complete opposite to Jamie Tartt’s. Starting off as a timid man who has been down-trodden for all of his working life, we see him grow into his own as Ted gives him a chance to let his talents fly high. However, after becoming assistant coach, the power goes to his head and he betrays Richmond to go and work for rival team, West Ham United. This is one of the show’s more painful transitions to observe. However, it wrapped up nicely in season 3 when Nathan finds love, and in turn, finds his way back home to Richmond where he earns forgiveness.
Actor Nick Mohammed will not be returning to Ted Lasso season 4. And as of yet, his character has barely been mentioned. But the Primetime Emmy nominee is busy elsewhere. He is set to star in HBO’s legal drama series, War, sharing the screen with Dominic West and Marisa Tomei. He will also take on a supporting role in the psychological thriller, Control, working alongside James McAvoy and Julianne Moore.
Toheeb Jimoh as Sam Obisanya
Toheeb Jimoh is another Ted Lasso cast member who earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his magnetic role. Endlessly loyal and forever chipper, Sam Obisanya was a breath of fresh air in every scene. His arc tied up nicely by the finale of season 3 as we got to meet his father and see that he is continuing his passion project of serving up Nigerian food for the residents of Richmond. But more importantly, we see he achieves his dream of playing for the Nigerian national team. Jimoh is absent from season 4, however, he is flexing his acting chops in crime drama movie, Prima Facie. 2026 also saw him take on a prominent role in the popular HBO series, Industry.
Kola Bokinni as Isaac McAdoo
Kola Bokinni‘s sizzling role as Richmond’s captain Isaac McAdoo served up everything you’d expect; handfuls masculine energy, a fast mouth, and a powerful presence. However, by the end of season 3, we saw him let his guard down as he embraced the discovery that one of his fellow players was gay. Since leaving the show, his acting roles have slowed down, with just one short film listed as completed on his IMDB page. However, he is keeping his profile alive by appearing in reality shows like Celebrity Race Across the World and Celebrity Bear Hunt.
Cristo Fernández as Dani Rojas
Although we were introduced to Maria Rojas in season 4 (played by Cristo Fernández‘s real sister Paloma Cinco), the iconic striker Dani is sitting this one out. Instead, he has crossed over to real-life football. He signed a professional contract with El Paso Locomotive in May 2026 following a two-month trial. But that doesn’t mean he’s giving up on acting. His next role will see him star opposite Tim Roth in the action comedy flick, Holy Molé.
Anthony Head as Rupert Mannion
Anthony Head was widely known for playing suave, charming, and sophisticated roles. However, his villainous turn in Ted Lasso was masterful. Exuding sleaze with ease, it was impossible to not be glued to him whenever he entered the shot, despite how despicable Rupert Mannion was. The end of season 3 saw him mount under pressure as he faced scandal after scandal, ultimately leading to his team’s own fans booing him out of the stadium. Sadly, Anthony Head passed away on June 1, 2026, but he left a magnificent body of work behind him, with his role as Rupert Mannion being a standout.
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