Ted Lasso, the football comedy-drama series, has garnered immense popularity for its nonchalant inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation in the show. The third season of the show, which aired last month, revealed that one of the show’s characters, Colin Hughes, played by Billy Harris, is gay. In episode three, viewers watched as Colin entered his kitchen with male love interest Michael, played by Sam Liu, and they shared a kiss. The scene and the subsequent episode received immense support from fans, especially the LGBTQ+ community.
Following the episode, Harris revealed that he has received an “amazing” response from viewers who are both queer and love football. In an interview with Variety, he shared how people have contacted him, saying “they wish their younger self could have watched this.” Many of them have also shared their struggles with being gay and a footballer and how watching the show has helped them.
Football and the LGBTQ+ community have had a troubled relationship, with homophobic chants at matches being fairly common. Harris’s character, Colin, put it best when he said, “His love is football, but he also loves men and that can go hand-in-hand.” There is a scarcity of out gay male footballers, with Josh Cavallo and Jake Daniels being two of the only notable professional players to come out in recent years.
During season two of the show, fans were given a hint that Colin might be gay when the character made a quip about the dating app Grindr. Harris said, “What I felt like from the moment the line was said, is a community felt represented in their favourite TV show.”
While Ted Lasso is yet to be renewed for a fourth season, Harris is already considering the potential for future TV spin-offs. He mentioned the possibility of a new series starring Colin and sports journalist character Trent Crimm, who knows about Colin’s sexuality.
The inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media, especially in sports, is a significant step towards a more inclusive society. Ted Lasso’s portrayal of a gay footballer and the immense support it has received from fans is a testament to this. The show has proved that representation matters and has given hope to many in the LGBTQ+ community who are struggling with their identities.