Anthony Stewart Head died on June 5, 2026, at age 72 from complications related to pneumonia, surrounded by his family, his daughters Emily and Daisy Head said in a statement [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. The English actor was best known for his role as Rupert Giles, the school librarian and mentor in the US supernatural TV drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired from 1997 to 2003. He appeared in all seven seasons, totaling 121 episodes [1, 3, 5].

Head was born on February 20, 1954, in Camden Town, London, England, and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before launching his career [2, 3, 5, 2]. He first gained UK fame in the 1980s from a series of widely watched Nescafe Gold Blend coffee TV commercials [1, 4].

Beyond Buffy, Head played Rupert Mannion, the former AFC Richmond owner and antagonist in the popular TV series Ted Lasso from 2020 to 2023, appearing in 18 episodes [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. He had over 140 credited screen appearances in television, film, and video games, including roles in Merlin, Motherland, Little Britain, Doctor Who, Jonathan Creek, and Spooks as well as voice acting roles in Buffy-related games and Destroy All Humans! 2 [2, 3, 5, 6].

He was also known as a singer and theatre performer, appearing in productions such as The Rocky Horror Show and Repo! The Genetic Opera [3, 4, 6]. His career spanned more than four decades from his TV debut in 1978’s Enemy at the Door to his recent roles [5].

In a joint statement, Emily and Daisy Head, both actors themselves, said, "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father. 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" [1]. They added, "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" [5].

Head was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Fisher, who died about four months earlier at age 61 [5]. He is survived by his daughters, Emily, 37, and Daisy, 35 [5, 6].