Hannah Waddingham Isn’t Sure ‘Ted Lasso’ Will Return, but She’d Happily Come Back
Few shows have had a comeback as unlikely as ‘Ted Lasso’, and now fans are already wondering about Season 5. Despite assumptions that Season 3 would be its last, Apple TV confirmed in March 2025 that the Jason Sudeikis comedy had been renewed for Season 4. The renewal came nearly 2 years after the comedy’s presumed series finale, which dropped on May 31, 2023.
The return went well. Season 4 made its global debut on August 5, 2026, with new episodes every Wednesday through October 7. According to Nielsen figures cited by Deadline, ‘Ted Lasso’ was the most-streamed program in the United States on its Season 4 premiere date, with more than 200 million viewing minutes.
Now that the season is over, though, not even the cast seems to know what’s next. Speaking to Variety on the Women in Film Honors red carpet, Hannah Waddingham said she honestly doesn’t know whether ‘Ted Lasso’ will return for Season 5. She also joked that the cast would probably come back even without pay, then quickly asked that nobody tell the people in charge.
Waddingham’s own role grew a lot in the latest chapter. The 4th season focused on women breaking barriers and redefining leadership, and it centered on Rebecca’s efforts to establish AFC Richmond’s women’s football team. Sudeikis had confirmed on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast that Season 4 would revolve around Ted coaching a women’s team.
Hannah Waddingham says she “genuinely” doesn’t know if “Ted Lasso” will return for Season 5: “We’d all probably do it if we didn’t get paid… don’t tell them that!” https://t.co/07o3ORfzNI
— Variety (@Variety) November 6, 2026
The bigger storyline is changing her awards strategy. Waddingham will be campaigned for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series during the upcoming TV awards season, after being submitted as Supporting Actress for the first 3 seasons. In the supporting category, she earned 3 Emmy nominations, winning in 2021, along with 2 Golden Globe nominations.
The red carpet comments came on a night celebrating her. Waddingham received the Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV at the 2026 Women in Film Honors gala on Nov. 5 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Explaining the honor, WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer told Variety that “In ‘Ted Lasso,’ Hannah’s powerful portrayal of Rebecca Welton, a woman fighting to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of professional sports, echoes the barriers women still face in the entertainment industry.”
The new trailer for ‘TED LASSO’ Season 4 has been released. The new season follows Ted Lasso as he returns to coach a women’s football team. Releasing August 5 on Apple TV. https://t.co/f9RKadJXmO
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 28, 2026
Rebecca has been a turning point in her career. ‘Ted Lasso’ has dominated Waddingham’s career since it launched in 2020, and she’s clearly attached to the character. In an earlier Variety appearance, she described Rebecca as her girl and said the role was in her bloodstream.
Waddingham’s joke about working for free also touches on a sensitive subject. In a separate Variety interview earlier this year, she declined to go into detail about compensation in the age of streaming buyouts, saying only that it’s personal and handled case by case.
That’s understandable: her pay reportedly rose from between $50,000 and $75,000 per episode for the first 2 seasons to between $125,000 and $150,000 per episode for Season 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
For now, Apple hasn’t said whether AFC Richmond will be back. Waddingham’s comments suggest the cast is ready to return if the call comes, and given the strong Season 4 numbers, there may be a good business case for more ‘Ted Lasso’.
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