British actor Anthony Head, best known for his roles in television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso, Merlin and Little Britain, has died aged 72.
In the late 1990s, Head gained international fame for his role as Rupert Giles in the popular teen supernatural series Buffy.
He subsequently became a regular on the sketch show Little Britain, played King Uther Pendragon in the BBC series Merlin, and appeared as former football club owner Rupert Mannion in the film Ted Lasso.
«"He passed away peacefully from complications of pneumonia, surrounded by his family," his daughters Emily and Daisy said.
Anthony Head played Rupert Giles on Buffy [Getty Images]
A statement from his daughters said: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our distinguished father.".
They added: "It has been and always will be an honor and privilege to be his daughters and to see firsthand the impact he and his work have had on so many people.".
They also said they knew "how much he will be missed by his friends, colleagues and fans of the show he starred in," adding that he "loved his job very much" and "always considered himself incredibly lucky.".
Actresses Daisy Head and Emily Head with their father Anthony at a film screening in 2013 [Getty Images]
His family acknowledged that "his legacy will live on" and said they considered themselves "lucky" to have watched him do what he loved throughout his career.
Head's other credits include The Iron Lady, Doctor Who, Persuasion, The Losers and Man-Child.
Head first rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s, becoming the face of Nescafe coffee television commercials.
He was one of the partners in the Gold Blend advertising campaign along with Sharon Maughan, and their romantic coffee-themed commercials became popular between 1987 and 1993.
Head starred opposite Jason Sudeikis in "Ted Lasso" [Apple TV/Everett/Shutterstock].
During his career, Head has appeared in many popular British television series, including Homeland, Silent Witness and Doctor Who.
In 2018, he also joined the cast of the BBC Radio 4 serial The Archers, playing Robin Fairbrother.
In December 2025, Head lost his longtime partner, Sarah Fisher, an animal rights activist, at the age of 61.