In the West London suburb of Richmond-upon-Thames, a herd of deer from the royal park occasionally halts traffic on the busy streets. Georgian houses with column-framed doorways stand in neat rows, and rowboats drift lazily along the river. Cricket matches have unfolded on the central green here since the 17th century. However, this picturesque setting has long attracted more than just those interested in history or scenery; it has been a magnet for visitors and film location scouts. In more recent years, the focus of attention has shifted for some visitors to a paved area by the green known locally as “Ted Lasso corner,” where tourists and influencers gather to photograph some unassuming local attractions.
Fans gather to photograph the pub, red phone booths, and a bench that serve as the backdrop for the hit Apple TV show. This area, which serves as the site of many big-hearted moments that characterize the series, has turned this quiet corner into a site of pilgrimage. The show, which premiered its fourth season on Wednesday (Aug 5), draws visitors who connect deeply with its messages of empathy and hope. When co-creator Brendan Hunt began working on the show about an American coach in London, he envisioned something different.
From Grimy to Riches
Writers originally pictured “not Richmond at all,” Hunt said in a recent video interview. Instead, the team aimed to capture “grimy football culture.” That perspective shifted after location scouting. Once the team chose the “quite heavenly” Richmond, the atmosphere of the show changed. “Suddenly we were writing a lot more disgustingly, grotesquely rich characters,” Hunt shared. The green became “the heart of it to me, energy-wise,” Hunt added, influencing the tone of the production.
Related: European stocks hit new highs on earnings and US-Iran hopes
Along with the makeshift shrine nearby, it attracts fans who have traveled great distances to experience the setting in person. Pete Bombaci traveled from Toronto for his 60th birthday because visiting Richmond “was a must.” On a recent sunny afternoon, he sat with his partner, Shelli Baltman, 53, eating fish and chips outside the pub under an umbrella. Baltman noted that seeing Richmond in person was special, remarking, “We love this place, and we don’t know it at all. We just know it from a screen, but there’s that connection there.”
Bombaci and Baltman estimated watching the first three seasons of Ted Lasso five times with their 11-year-old son. “I have been moved and motivated and inspired by the show,” Bombaci said. He runs a charity called GenWell that promotes human connection, a mission that aligns with the show’s ethos that “we need each other to survive, let alone thrive.”