The surprising connection between Wicked and Ted Lasso you probably didn’t know

Ted Lasso writer and star Brett Goldstein has confirmed that the hit series is inspired by The Wizard of Oz, and we’re holding space for this information.

Unless you’ve been disconnected from the internet since September, you’ll be aware that Wicked and its influence is everywhere right now. From explicit Barbie dolls to its absolute chokehold on queer media, Wicked is unavoidable.

By association then, The Wizard of Oz’s influence is everywhere, too (Wicked famously tells the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba [Cynthia Erivo], became so despised by the people of Emerald City).

One piece of popular culture that we didn’t quite expect to hear was inspired by Oz and Dorothy and co. is football-based comedy drama, Ted Lasso. 

Yet consider our expectations well and truly defied, as Brett Goldstein, who stars as AFC Richmond coach Roy Kent, has confirmed it to be true.

“Oh yeah, there’s loads and loads of The Wizard of Oz in Ted Lasso,” Goldstein, who also writes for the show, told Entertainment Weekly.

Yet eagle-eyed fans of the show will know that actually, the Oz influences have been peppered throughout the show’s three seasons – for example, via the The Wizard of Oz branded pinball machine.

“The pinball machine is the one that’s always ‘Ted has to go home. There’s no place like home.’ And then, there’s no place like Richmond F.C. Yes, that’s all Wizard of Oz,” Goldstein expanded.

Some fans of the show have long suspected that Ted Lasso is somehow linked to Judy Garland’s musical fantasy film, with easter eggs including Roy Kent’s yellow brick road-style tie-dye t-shirt, and leading character Ted (played by Jason Sudeikis) being from Kansas.

Ted’s eye-catching red trainers, too, have been compared to Dorothy’s red slippers in L. Frank Baum’s story.

Goldstein went one step further, revealing that Roy Kent is based on Oz’s Tin Man.

“Ted is Dorothy, Rebecca’s the Lion, and the Scarecrow is Jamie,” he added, referring to Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham and Phil Dunster’s leading characters.

“I’m sure this is going to cause a lot of trouble,” he continued, probably referring to the fact that he’s just confirmed a long-held fan theory.

Ted Lasso, which streamed on Apple TV, ended its run after three seasons back in 2023, after becoming an international hit.

It won 13 Emmy awards, two Golden Globe awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards in just three years.

In its final season, Ted Lasso was praised for its “refreshing” representation of gay male footballers, after AFC Richmond player Colin Hughes (Billy Harris) came out.

Ted Lasso is streaming on Apple TV, while Wicked is in cinemas now.

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