Anthony Head, the British actor beloved by millions for his role as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and more recently as the sardonic Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso, has died at the age of 72 — just six months after the death of his long-time partner Sarah Fisher.
His daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, announced the news in a joint statement, saying their father had “passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.” They described it as “an honour and a privilege” to have been his daughters and to have witnessed the impact of his work on audiences around the world.
“We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in — he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades,” their statement read. “Our grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind, but we know his legacy will live on in the shows he was a part of, and in the audiences that love them.”
Head’s career stretched across four decades and took in some of the most memorable roles in British and American television. His portrayal of librarian Rupert Giles — mentor to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers — across the cult supernatural drama’s run from 1997 to 2003 made him a household name in the United States, cementing a fanbase that remained devoted long after the show ended. He left the regular cast during season six but returned as a guest star until the series concluded.
In recent years he brought considerable wit and edge to the role of Rupert Mannion, the manipulative ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca in Ted Lasso, a performance that introduced him to a new generation of viewers. His other celebrated roles included the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon, father of Prince Arthur, in Merlin. He also appeared in Doctor Who, Silent Witness, Spooks, Motherland and My Family, as well as the film Repo! The Genetic Opera, and joined the cast of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers in 2018, playing Robin Fairbrother.
Long before any of those roles, Head had become a familiar face in British homes through the iconic Nescafé Gold Blend television advertisements. He played one half of the Gold Blend couple alongside Sharon Maughan in a serialised romantic campaign that ran from 1987 to 1993 and remains one of the most celebrated advertising campaigns in British history.
Head was also a singer, performing in the West End and recording music including the album of the Buffy musical episode, as well as solo work. His distinctive baritone voice was as much a part of his screen presence as his considerable acting range.
His partner of many years, Sarah Fisher — an animal welfare campaigner, ambassador for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and patron of Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary — died in December 2025 at the age of 61. Head is survived by his daughters Emily, best known for her role as Carli D’Amato in The Inbetweeners, and Daisy, who has appeared in Harlots, Shadow and Bone and The Gray House. His brother Murray Head is also an actor and singer, known for Sunday Bloody Sunday and the 1984 hit One Night in Bangkok from the musical Chess.
The family has asked for privacy at this difficult time.
