Acclaimed Richmond-based Apple TV Comedy Ted Lasso won seven Emmys at last Monday’s award show.
The TV Series, which centres around the fictional AFC Richmond, won major awards including Outstanding Comedy Series and Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Jason Sudeikis as the titular character.
A fish-out-of-water story of an American Football coach trying his hands at association football, Ted Lasso has been praised for its comedy, characterisation and portrayal of mental health.
On the decision to base the show in Richmond, council leader Gareth Roberts said: “If you’re looking for a beautiful backdrop, what’s better than Richmond?
“It’s great. Anything which draws people into the borough, particularly as we’re trying to restart the economy post-lockdown, is a good thing.
“We are looking forward to welcoming them back next year.”
Filming locations throughout the series include Richmond Green, Church Street, Eel Pie Island, Richmond Hill and Twickenham Riverside.
Richmond and Twickenham are popular filming locations, with the comedy Peter Rabbit 2 and BBC Four’s Documentary on Eel Pie Island recently shot there.
Notably, the borough received attention following Notting Hill, the 1999 romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
Recalling Notting Hill’s popularity, Roberts noted the numerous tourists who came to take photos outside the film’s famous blue door.
He said: “At the time it was huge. All of these tourists were coming to have their photo taken outside of this front door.”
With Ted Lasso’s growth in popularity over the last year and direct connection with the area in creating AFC Richmond, the series is the biggest showcase of the borough since then.
Roberts said: “I’ve seen people talking quite openly about coming up with a map so that they can do a walking tour with the various locations and filming.
“I’ve met people who now will go to Paved Court to have their photo taken outside Ted’s front door.
As Ted Lasso’s following grows, fans, both local and international, have taken to social media to share their trips to Richmond as others plan future visits to explore the show’s locations.
With upcoming filming for Season Three in 2022, the excitement surrounding Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond shows no signs of slowing.
