'Ted Lasso' Just Said Goodbye To An OG Character — And Slipped In A Tribute That Has Fans Reaching For The Tissues

🚨 SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses major plot points from Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 9. Turn back now if you're not caught up! 🚨

Grab the tissues, because Ted Lasso just broke our hearts in the most Ted Lasso way possible. Episode 9 of Season 4, "Mae Rides The Bus," has waved goodbye to one of the show's OG characters — and slipped in a second, quieter farewell at the very end.

The Tea ☕

Mae Green (Annette Badland), the beloved Crown & Anchor pub owner, dies in Episode 9 while cheering on the Lady Greyhounds at an away match.
The episode closes with an "In Memory of Anthony Head" card, honoring the actor who played villain Rupert Mannion.
Another twist: the mystery shareholder buying up Richmond may NOT be Rupert after all.

Mae Rides The Bus

According to Deadline, Mae has been around since Season 1, and her exit comes doing exactly what she loved: supporting the team from the stands at Bristol City.

The setup is peak Ted Lasso sweetness. Mae hints that a two-and-a-half-hour drive is a lot for someone of her "level of seasoning," so Ted and Coach Beard invite her onto the team shuttle. The players embrace her as one of their own on the ride. Yes, we are already crying.

Badland told Deadline that Mae "made the very best of her life and really relished it," adding that she went "in the very best way."

Badland Didn't See It Coming

The actor says she only learned about Mae's fate around November, when filming was about an episode away from that storyline. Her reaction? Shocked, but proud. She credited Jason Sudeikis, saying the show works because audiences can tell it's "not made cynically."

She also explained why Mae would choose the fans' section over the owner's box: she's "not part of a hierarchy" and would rather be with the people who scraped together the money to be there. Honestly? Iconic.

Will There Be A Funeral?

Don't count Mae out just yet. Badland says she has a "very large pile of shares" and that Mae's instructions for them are "quite good." She also says Sudeikis tweaked some of Episode 10 after they talked, so Mae is "still within the context" of the finale without actually appearing.

As for the send-off she'd want? A tremendous party at the Crown & Anchor, with everyone invited. Our invitations better be in the mail.

The Anthony Head Tribute

The episode also ended with a card honoring Anthony Head, who played Rupert in the first three seasons. Deadline reports that Head died on June 1 at age 72, and that his daughters listed the cause as complications due to pneumonia.

Badland remembered him as "charming and funny and generous," recalling the famous Season 1 darts scene and their "naughty little sort of asides."

Wait, It's Not Rupert?

Here's the plot twist. Episode 9 reveals that the shady share-buying isn't Rupert's doing. It's Tracey Ullman's Zelda Southport, who's on the verge of becoming Richmond's majority owner.

Some fans wondered whether the story changed after Head's death. According to Deadline's sources, no Season 4 storylines were changed, and there were no formal plans for Head to appear this season. The season wrapped production in January, months before his passing. Deadline also notes that the tribute card ran in Episode 9 rather than 8 because it would have spoiled the Zelda twist.

Deadline adds that TV tradition often sees characters mirror an actor's passing, which would likely happen in Season 5. That season hasn't been picked up yet, though it is reportedly "looking good."

Keeley's Big News

Amid the tears, Episode 9 also reveals Keeley's pregnancy. Badland called it the "cycle of life," saying she's "just delighted" for Keeley, and "poor old Roy."

So one episode gave us a goodbye, a tribute, a villain reveal AND a baby. We need to lie down.

Did Mae get the send-off she deserved, and what should the Crown & Anchor party playlist be? Tell us in the comments!

Sources: Deadline: Ted Lasso Season 4 Shocker | Deadline: Ted Lasso Pays Tribute To Anthony Head