Ted Lasso Reveals First LGBTQ+ Character

For a show as inclusive and uplifting as Ted Lasso has been over its first two seasons, the series surprisingly hasn’t included any major characters from the LGBTQ+ community. There has been very little queer representation within the lineup of beloved characters on the show thus far, a point that many critics have mentioned on numerous occasions. This week, that changed, as the latest episode of Ted Lasso Season 3 revealed one of the players on A.F.C. Richmond is actually queer. WARNING: There are some Ted Lasso Season 3 spoilers ahead…

The third episode of Ted Lasso Season 3, “4-5-1,” begins with strong and capable man Colin Hughes (Billy Harris) getting up out of bed and getting ready. He walks down to the kitchen and is greeted by another man, whose name we later learn is Michael, and they kiss before Colin heads out for the day.

It’s unclear exactly how serious Colin and Michael’s relationship is, but what the show does confirm is that none of Colin’s teammates know that he’s queer. There’s a conversation later about Zava, the worldwide phenom who recently joined Richmond, in which several players make jokes about being attracted to him. Colin joins in, saying that he’ll “have sex with Zava,” causing his teammates to laugh.

At the end of the episode, Colin and Michael are seen making out in an alley by Sam’s restaurant, and they’re spotted by Trent Crimm, setting the story up to be a big part of Season 3 going forward.

Colin hasn’t come out to his teammates yet, which is understandable given the history of male sports. There are very few out gay or queer men in major professional sports. Just last week, multiple NHL players actually made public statements about not wearing special warmup jerseys on their teams’ Pride Night events, which are meant to promote inclusivity and acceptance in the sport. 

We still have a very long way to go when it comes to homophobia in male sports, especially at the professional level. It looks like Ted Lasso will be dealing with that topic head-on throughout Season 3.