Popular British actor Anthony Head, known for his roles as Rupert Mannion in the hit Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso and Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at the age of 72.

The actor’s daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, confirmed that he died from complications related to pneumonia while surrounded by family.

The statement read, “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”

“It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed first-hand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.”

Anthony Head was born into an artistic home in Camden, London in 1954. His father, Seafield Head was a documentary filmmaker and founder of Verity Films established in 1940, while his mother Helen Shingler was an actress widely known for playing Madame Maigret in the BBC crime drama Maigret.

He began his acting career in the 1970s appearing in several films and television productions, including Lady Chatterley’s Lover and A Prayer for the Dying. He also performed in major West End productions such as Chess and The Rocky Horror Show.

The veteran gained his international breakthrough in 1997 after being cast as Rupert Giles in the supernatural television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a role he played throughout the show’s seven-season run.

Following the success of Buffy, he appeared in several television productions, including Little Britain before joining the cast of Ted Lasso in 2020 portraying a manipulative football club owner Rupert Mannion.

Head’s demise comes months after the passing of his longtime partner, Sarah Fisher, who died in December 2025 at the age of 61. He is survived by their two daughters.