Brendan Hunt may now be best known as Coach Beard in Ted Lasso, but the actor, writer and producer had already built up a long list of screen credits before the hit Apple TV series made him a household name.
For a while, many viewers assumed Ted Lasso had reached its natural end when season three wrapped in 2023, having been planned as a three-season story arc from the beginning. That changed when Apple TV confirmed the show would be returning for a fourth season.
The new chapter has now begun, with the premiere episode landing on the streaming service on August 5, 2026. This season sees Ted returning to Richmond to take on a new challenge: coaching a second-division women’s football team, a storyline that was foreshadowed in the season three finale when Keeley pitched Rebecca Welton on launching an AFC Richmond women’s side.
Although some familiar faces are missing from the early episodes of season four — including Phil Dunster, who plays Jamie Tartt — several core cast members are back for the latest run.
Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein and Brendan Hunt have all returned, with Hunt once again stepping into the role of Coach Beard. The season consists of 10 episodes, releasing weekly on Wednesdays through October 7, 2026.
Outside of Ted Lasso, Hunt has appeared in a wide range of film and television projects. Among the more recognizable titles on his résumé are Disney’s Elio, Horrible Bosses 2, and Bless This Mess.
He has also popped up in some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it parts. One of those was ‘Sketchy Dude’ in We’re The Millers, which also starred Sudeikis.
His IMDb page also lists roles such as ‘Hitchhiker’ in Community, ‘Man #3’ in Parks and Recreation, ‘Lead Clown’ in Kirby Buckets, ‘Creepy Van Guy’ in Key and Peele, and ‘Morgue Attendant’ in The Bridge.
Other credits include ‘Soccer Hooligan’ in Reno 911! and ‘Thin Thug’ in 2006’s Day Is Done.
Another detail some fans may not realize is that Hunt didn’t just star in Ted Lasso — he also helped create it. Hunt co-created the character and series along with Jason Sudeikis and writer Joe Kelly, with showrunner Bill Lawrence eventually coming on board to help develop it into the full television series.
Speaking to The Movie Culture in 2020, Hunt explained:
“The character was originally created for an ad campaign in America to help promote a new broadcast deal for the English Premier League on NBC Sports in 2013. The following year we did a sort of sequel for it, as the character had apparently proved quite popular.
“So then the three writers of those spots – Jason Sudeikis, Joe Kelly and myself – started working on trying to make a series around the character. Eventually Bill Lawrence came along and got us over the finish line and here we are.”
Hunt also said the team initially envisioned the series as a three-season story, and the show indeed concluded with season three in 2023 before being revived for this fourth season.
While Hunt is part of the returning cast, Anthony Head is not involved in the new season. He previously played Rupert Mannion, and that character’s story came to an end in season three. Head, who was also widely known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, passed away on June 5, 2026, at the age of 72 from complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.
Ted Lasso’s fourth season is now streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes released weekly on Wednesdays through October 7, 2026.