‘Surreal’ moment as Welsh actor Rex Hayes joins Ted Lasso cast

Sadly, though, we won’t be hearing any Welsh in Ted Lasso.

“You won’t meet me with a Welsh accent – my character is Irish,” says Rex.

Nonetheless, the actor hopes fans will embrace the show’s new female football team.

“I would ask audiences to meet us [the new cast] the same way you met the men’s team – with open hearts, in the way that Ted Lasso meets everyone.

“One of my favourite quotes from the show is: ‘be curious, not judgemental’. That’s my ethos for anyone meeting the show this season.”

“It’s such a privilege to be a part of something like this,” adds Rex, reflecting on the support shown by regulars such as Waddington and Sudeikis to the new cast.

“These people have been doing this for a long time, and have really honed their craft. They know what it takes to be good people, both on set and off.

“I’ve learnt a lot from them, and from my new colleagues.”

The Lady Greyhounds include Game of Thrones’ Faye Marsay, Abbie Hern, Jude Mack and Tanya Reynolds, as well as Rex’s screen sister Sharkey.

“We are best mates. What you see on screen is very much our real life relationship, we adore each other. I can’t wait for the world to meet all of them,” says Rex.

“Trying on that kit for the first time, wearing that badge that I had fallen in love with… and then stepping out on that pitch, in those football boots, pretending to be a football player – all of it – I will never take it for granted, for sure.”

The new series lands on Apple TV+ on 5 August.