Anthony HeadBritish actor best known for his roles in TV series including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso, Merlin and Little Britain, has died aged 72.
In the late 1990s, Head became internationally recognized as Rupert Giles in the blockbuster supernatural teen program Buffy.
He played the Prime Minister of Little Britain, King Uther Pendragon in Merlin and former football club owner Rupert Mannion in Ted Lass.
His daughters Emily and Daisy confirmed that he died peacefully from complications of pneumonia, surrounded by his family.
According to his daughter’s statement, “it is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of our extraordinary father”.
“It was, and forever will be, an honor and a privilege to be his daughter and witness firsthand the impact he and his work had on so many.”
They also stated that they know “how much he will be missed by friends, colleagues and fans of the show he was in”, and that he “loved his job very much” and “always considered himself incredibly lucky”.
His family noted that “his legacy will live on” and that they were “happy” to witness him doing what he loved throughout his career.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, who plays the eponymous Buffy, shared photos of herself with Head on Instagram.
“Tell Giles I understand and I’m fine.” I don’t have everything sorted and I’m not doing well. “But I know I’m lucky because I knew you,” she wrote. “Thank you Daisy and Emily for not only sharing your father with me, but with the world.”
David Boreanaz, who starred with Head on Buffy, said: “RIP. He was such a kind and generous soul.
Another Buffy co-star, James Marsters, noted, “He was unfailingly kind and steadfast on the set of Buffy, and the best actor in the cast… I was lucky to know him and learn from him.”
Matt Lucas, creator and star of Little Britain, described Head as “unfailingly brilliant, and always so kind and warm”.
“When we were casting for Little Britain, we were looking for ‘Tony Head’, as we never thought he’d be interested himself, but he was. Lucas said: ‘We’re lucky.’
Head also played Geoffrey Howe in The Iron Lady and appeared in Doctor Who, Persuasion, The Inbetweeners and Manchild.
He also appeared in Ted Lasso 2020 as Rupert Mannion, former owner of Richmond FC and ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s character, Rebecca Welton.
Brett Goldstein, their co-star and writer of the series, stated: “Anthony Head was a brilliant actor playing the worst person in the world, which was an incredible skill because he was the best person.”
Head rose to prominence in the UK in the 1980s as the face of Nescafe coffee commercials on television.
He was part of the Gold Blend duo with Sharon Maughan, and their coffee-themed commercial was popular between 1987 and 1993.
Maughan expressed her “heartbroken” reaction to Head’s death. “I guess they were iconic, but I don’t think that was the intention at the beginning,” she added. “Tony and I were just two actors who got this gig, and we had a wonderful friendship…
