Without fail, every single time I’ve rewatched Ted Lasso with my Apple TV subscription, I replay the moment where Ted hits his head on Rebecca’s door frame. It’s so shocking that I always instantly replay it. However, the story behind filming that moment makes it even crazier, because it was a total accident. And I have to say, the fact that it wasn’t meant to happen makes Hannah Waddingham’s look of horror in the episode make a lot more sense.
The moment in question happens during Season 1, Episode 10, after a meeting Ted has with Rebecca. During their conversation, Ted voices his insecurities about coaching the team, and Rebecca hypes him up. That prompts the coach to realize he can “cause chaos” on the pitch, and with his newfound realization, he jumps for joy out of her office. However, he jumps a bit too hard and hits his head and knee on the doorframe. He then falls down, gets up, and says he’s “fine.” According to Jason Sudeikis, he really wasn’t fine, though, as he explained on The Drew Barrymore Show:
I really hit my head there; that was a complete accident. Like, I jumped up, and then I, boom, cracked my head. I roll like I do, I stand up, I think I’m fine. I go off stage, I reach up, and there’s a little bit of blood on my finger, and I look down, and then pool of blood. It starts dripping down, pooling in my hand, and I’m like, ‘Oh, no.’ And then they had to glue my head shut, and then they turned the cameras around so I could be there for my scene partner, Hannah.
Well, that story about filming this Ted Lasso moment could certainly explain why Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca looked like she was in utter shock when her coach slammed into the door frame (which you can see in the image at the top of this story).
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While I know they turned the camera around to get Waddingham's coverage after Sudeikis hurt himself, I also have to assume they were both in shock about what just happened. So, I’d imagine that looking horrified and concerned for the camera was not difficult. In fact, I’d assume there was really no acting required there, because from a viewer’s perspective, the way the Ted actor jumped, hit himself, and then fell was so utterly unexpected. I have to believe they felt the same way on set too.
Now, I’m very curious to see if there are moments like this in Season 4 of Ted Lasso. Both Sudeikis and Waddingham are set to return, alongside Juno Temple (Keeley Jones), Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins). Plus, a whole new set of characters will be joining them, as Ted will return to AFC Richmond to coach the women’s team.
With all that in mind, I’m sure the cast and creatives will bring us many new gags, goofs and hilarious quotes that will leave us laughing and maybe even gasping like this Season 1 moment did.
However, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out, as Season 4 of Ted Lasso is set to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on Wednesday, August 5. In the meantime, we can all go back and watch this wild, injury-inducing moment by streaming the beloved comedy series on Apple TV.
