Sarah Michelle Gellar leads tributes after Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso star Anthony Head dies aged 72
Actor Anthony Head, best known for his roles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, has died at the age of 72, his daughters said in a statement.
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The British star was best known as librarian Rupert Giles in the cult US supernatural TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, which ran from 1997 to 2003.
A statement from his daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, to the Press Association, said: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head.
“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 firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.
“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.
“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. How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us.
“We kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
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Gellar, 49, shared a photo of herself with Head, his daughters and their Buffy co-star Seth Green on Instagram as she paid tribute.
She also included images of her and Head throughout the years, including a memorable scene during which Buffy asks Giles whether life gets any easier.
Gellar wrote: “‘Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok’. Well, I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok. But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you.
“Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world.”
Most recently, Head played former Richmond FC owner Rupert Mannion, the ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s character Rebecca, in football comedy Ted Lasso.
His other notable roles were the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in Merlin, the father of Prince Arthur.
Known for his distinctive baritone voice, Head first rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s in the Nescafe Gold Blend television adverts.
He was one half of the Gold Blend couple, alongside Sharon Maughan, who began a slow-burning romance over a cup of coffee.
The ads, which ran from 1987 to 1993, are one of the best-known examples of serialised advertising.
Head’s role in Buffy made him famous in the United States, but he left the regular cast during the show’s sixth season, only appearing as a guest star until the series concluded.
He also acted in Motherland, Manchild, Silent Witness, Spooks, Doctor Who and My Family, as well as the film Repo! The Genetic Opera.
In July 2018 joined the cast of BBC Radio 4 long-running drama The Archers, playing Robin Fairbrother.
He was also a singer, appearing in the West End and recording music, including the album of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode, as well as solo endeavours.
Head’s long-time partner, animal welfare campaigner Sarah Fisher, died in December 2025 aged 61.
Fisher was an ambassador for Battersea Dogs And Cats Home and patron of Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary.
Their daughters, Emily and Daisy, are both actresses.
Emily is best known for her role as Carli D’Amato in E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners, while Daisy has appeared in TV shows including Harlots, Shadow And Bone and The Gray House.
His brother, Murray Head is also an actor best known for his role in the Oscar-nominated 1971 film Sunday Bloody Sunday, and for singing the 1984 single One Night In Bangkok from the musical Chess.