15 Trivia Tidbits About ‘Ted Lasso’

15 The Show Was Based on a Series of NBC Sports Commercials

Ted Lasso famously began as a series of commercials for NBC Sports in 2013, featuring Jason Sudeikis as an American coach hired by Tottenham, but who still fails to grasp the intricacies of the game. Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard was still part of the story back then, although the proto-Ted we see is a tad more yelly than the version we eventually got on the show.

14 Sudeikis’ Soccer Knowledge Comes From Playing PlayStation

The character was first conceived when Sudeikis and Hunt were performing as part of an improv troupe called Boom Chicago and playing a lot of FIFA on PlayStation “before and after every show.” Sudeikis later claimed, “The bulk of my soccer knowledge and love comes from playing FIFA.”

13 Brett Goldstein Risked His Writing Gig to Audition for Roy Kent

Goldstein, who has won an Emmy for playing Roy Kent, was originally just a lowly writer. But while helping to create the first season, he felt a "kinship" with the Roy character and randomly self-taped an audition, then emailed it to the production team — which wasn't without risk. “If I hadn’t got the part,” Goldstein said, “I don’t think I’d be writing on Season Two ’cause none of us would be able to look each other in the eye!”

12 Nick Mohammed and Phil Dunster Auditioned to Play Higgins

Both Mohammed, who plays Nate, and Dunster, who plays hothead himbo Jamie Tartt, originally auditioned to play Higgins, the mild-mannered Director of Communications for AFC Richmond.

11 Sudeikis’ Uncle George Wendt Frequents Roy Kent’s Favorite Kebab Joint

We see a framed photo of Roy on the wall of his favorite kebab restaurant, and right next to it is a signed 8x10 of Cheers star George Wendt, who is Sudeikis' real-life uncle. 

10 AFC Richmond’s Players Are Named After Sudeikis’ Buddies

The only thing better than naming shitty characters after people who have wronged you is naming them after people you care about. Sudeikis reportedly named several of his show’s soccer players after his real-life pals, including Saturday Night Live's Mike O'Brien, Detroiters’ Sam Richardson and his old improv teacher Martin de Maat.

9 Ted‘s Cookies Tasted Like Ass in Real Life

According to Hannah Waddingham, who plays Rebecca, Ted’s delicious daily biscuits were much less appetizing in reality. They were actually “chunky shortbreads that sucked all of the saliva out of my face when I was trying to act and talk at the same time,” she said, adding, “I wish they were actual biscuits.”

8 Trent Crimm, the Independent, Was Nominated for an Emmy

One of the most memorable supporting characters was Crimm, who was from *checks notes* The Independent. Crimm was played by actor James Lance who was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy, presumably because the Emmys don’t have an Outstanding Hair by a Fictional Journalist category.

7 One Episode Paid Homage to a Classic Scorsese Film

“Beard After Hours” deviated from the show’s formula to follow Coach Beard’s late-night misadventures — and was seemingly inspired by the classic Martin Scorsese comedy After Hours, which was similarly about a series of nocturnal calamities.

6 You Can Spend the Night in Ted’s Local Pub

Ted’s local pub, The Crown & Anchor (in reality, The Prince’s Head), is now taking bookings on Airbnb for Ted Lasso fans who want to spend the night in a recognizable filming location but don’t want to risk breaking into a soccer stadium with a sleeping bag.

5 Roy Kent Inspired the Internet’s Dumbest Conspiracy Theory

Some corners of the internet briefly believed that Kent was played, not by a flesh-and-blood actor, but rather by an elaborate CGI creation presumably created for a more rugged remake of The Polar Express. Goldstein addressed the “controversy” in the most appropriate way possible. 

4 Fans Can Play as AFC Richmond in ‘FIFA 23’

Likely not helping the “Roy Kent is CGI” mania, EA Sports made a CGI Roy Kent as part of FIFA 23, which allows you to play as AFC Richmond, which may or may not involve killing digital canine mascots.

3 A Reporter Interviewed the Cast By Accident at the FA Cup

An ITV reporter interviewed a group of soccer fans outside the 2021 FA Cup, not recognizing them as cast members of Ted Lasso. The actors passed themselves off as genuine footballers and even sang the Dani Rojas song.

2 The Show Inspired an Ice Cream Flavor

Earlier this year, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams released a limited edition Ted Lasso-themed ice cream called "Biscuits with the Boss," which hopefully tastes better than the craptastic real-life cookies. 

1 There’s a Ted Lasso Build-a-Bear

Satiating the demands of every child who craves cuddly animal playthings that cost $85 and resemble human stars of AppleTV+ shows, there’s now a Ted Lasso Build-a-Bear. Why kids are building bears with crippling anxiety issues and marital problems in addition to stuffing and felt is anyone’s guess.

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