Anthony Head, Star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dies Aged 72

Anthony Head, known across the world for his work in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, has tragically died at the age of 72.

Releasing a statement on his death, his two daughters said their father was an 'extraordinary' man. He died from complications due to pneumonia.

Head was best known on TV in the late 1990s and early 2000s as librarian Rupert Giles in Buffy alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar.

A statement from his daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, 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."

Anthony Head during his Buffy years (Fotos International/Courtesy of Getty Images)

They added: “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.”

In recent years, Head starred in Ted Lasso as the former Richmond FC owner Rupert Mannion, the ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s character Rebecca.

His other notable roles were the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in Merlin, the father of Prince Arthur.

Emily Head, Anthony Head and Daisy Head (Fred Duval/FilmMagic)

Head’s role in Buffy made him famous in the United States. 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.

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.