Anthony Head, the British actor who guided Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the heroine’s Watcher, Rupert Giles, has died.

Head, 72, died of complications from pneumonia, his daughters Daisy and Emily said in a statement to the Press Association in the U.K.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head,” their statement says. “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.

“It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many. We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in — he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades.”

Head’s breakout role came in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the TV adaptation by creator Joss Whedon of the 1992 movie of the same name. As Giles, the bookish but steely Watcher, he helped guide Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) as she came to terms with being the Slayer and supported her missions. More recently, he played Rupert Mannion, the philandering ex-husband of AFC Richmond owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) in Apple TV’s Ted Lasso. His credits also included Little Britain and Merlin in the U.K. and a number of stage roles.

More to come.

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