Mae Green, played by Annette Badland, collapsed and died in the stands during the Lady Greyhounds’ championship win. The news hit fans hard, and now Badland has confirmed the storyline in a Zoom interview with Decider.
Mae’s Last Day
The episode, titled “Mae Rides the Bus,” followed Mae as she accompanied the Lady Greyhounds on the road. She delivered a powerful pregame speech in the locker room, then declined Rebecca’s offer to sit in her special section of the stadium. Instead, she cheered from the supporters section, living out the football dreams she missed when she was younger.
Throughout the game, Ted checked in with Mae, who was smiling and celebrating. But after the team won, the camera panned to Mae’s seat in the crowd — and she was gone. A steward rushed to her side, and Rebecca was told, “There’s been an incident. It’s Ms. Green.”
The name sent Rebecca’s face dropping. She walked into the women’s locker room as the team celebrated, locked eyes with Ted from across the room, and summoned him outside with a nod. When Ted asked, “What’s wrong?” he processed the news by dropping his head in defeat.
Badland’s Confirmation
Badland confirmed Mae’s death in her interview with Decider. She told the outlet that leaving the series wasn’t by choice. Jason Sudeikis presented the storyline to her and explained how it fit into Mae’s Season 4 arc.
She described the moment Sudeikis approached her in her dressing room. “The kids were in the foyer, and I came through, and Chip [Hamilton, Jason’s assistant/Ted Lasso’s coordinating producer] said, ‘Oh, Jason wants to see you,'” she recalled. “And I said, ‘Oh, I’ll go to his trailer.’ And he said, ‘No, no, he’ll come to your room,’ which I thought was a bit odd. And I joked with the kids and said, ‘Oh, Jason wants to come to my room! You might not see me again!'”
She continued, “Then Jason came and spoke to me, and told me the storyline. So, I began to think, ‘Oh, this is great.’ Because he told it episodically, as the events and scenes happened. And then it came to, ‘And she passes.’ And you kind of go, ‘Oh.’ But we talked afterwards and discussed it, and I gave him a couple of ideas which have changed Episode 10, which I can’t talk about.”
A Possible Return
Though Ted Lasso will bid farewell to Mae in the Season 4 finale, Badland says “you never know” what could happen. She even has an idea for her return.
“There is a film called It’s a Wonderful Life, where an angel keeps popping back,” Badland said. “Maybe Mae can pop back up as a sort of conscience.”
What Comes Next
The Season 4 finale premieres Wednesday, October 7 on Apple TV. Fans will have to wait to see how the show handles Mae’s absence.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Episode 9 | Premiered |
| Season 4 Finale | Wednesday, October 7 |
| Role | Actor |
|---|---|
| Mae Green | Annette Badland |
| Rebecca | Hannah Waddingham |
| Ted | Jason Sudeikis |
Badland’s account adds warmth. Her joke about Jason wanting to come to her room, and the way she described hearing the word “passes,” reads as genuine affection for the character she played. She treated the news as a story to be told, not a tragedy to be mourned.
The episode ended with a tribute to the late Anthony Head, whose death was marked by a touching dedication. Rebecca’s conversation with Ted was drowned out by the song “Oh Love” by Kingfishr, a deliberate choice that kept the dialogue from resolving the moment. The show chose to let the image speak for itself.
Source material: “Who Is Ms. Green In ‘Ted Lasso’? ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4, Episode 9’s Ending Explained,” Decider.
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