LONDON — British actor Anthony Head, beloved worldwide for his roles as the scholarly Rupert Giles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the eccentric Rupert Mannion in “Ted Lasso,” has died at the age of 72.

Head passed away peacefully from complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by family, his daughters Emily and Daisy announced Friday. The news drew tributes from fans and colleagues across the entertainment industry, mourning the loss of a versatile performer whose career spanned television, film, theater and advertising.

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

The family added, “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.” They noted that Head “loved his job very much” and “always considered himself incredibly lucky.”

International Fame Through Iconic Roles

Head found global recognition in the late 1990s as Rupert Giles, the intelligent and slightly awkward Watcher mentoring Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers in the cult supernatural series. His portrayal brought warmth, humor and depth to the character across seven seasons, making Giles a fan favorite and contributing to the show’s enduring legacy.

Decades later, Head brought similar charm to Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso,” playing the gruff yet complex former club owner Rupert Mannion opposite Jason Sudeikis. The role introduced him to a new generation of viewers and earned praise for its nuanced performance in the acclaimed comedy series.

In between, Head starred as King Uther Pendragon in the BBC fantasy drama “Merlin” and appeared in the hit sketch show “Little Britain.” His extensive credits also included “Doctor Who,” “The Iron Lady,” “The Inbetweeners,” “Bridgerton” and “Manchild.”

Early Career and British Breakthrough

Born Anthony Stewart Head on February 20, 1954, in London, he trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He first gained widespread fame in the United Kingdom through a series of Nescafé Gold Blend coffee advertisements in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The romantic storyline featuring Head and Sharon Maughan became a cultural phenomenon, boosting his profile significantly.

Head maintained a strong presence in British television and theater throughout his career. He appeared in long-running series such as “Motherland” and “Silent Witness,” and joined the cast of BBC Radio 4’s “The Archers” in 2018. On stage, he performed in multiple productions of “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Godspell” and “Chess.”

Family and Personal Life

Head’s daughters Emily and Daisy, both accomplished actors, followed in their father’s footsteps. Emily is best known for her role as Carli D’Amato in “The Inbetweeners,” while Daisy has appeared in “Harlots” and “Shadow and Bone.” His brother Murray Head is also an actor.

In December 2025, Head lost his longtime partner Sarah Fisher, an animal welfare campaigner, at the age of 61. The couple had been together for decades and shared a deep commitment to family and causes close to their hearts.

His daughters highlighted the privilege of watching their father pursue his passion. “His legacy will live on,” they said, expressing gratitude for the time they had with him.

Tributes and Legacy

News of Head’s death prompted an outpouring of remembrances from castmates, fans and industry figures. Colleagues remembered him as a kind, professional and talented performer who brought intelligence and humanity to every role.

Head’s work in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” particularly resonated with audiences, helping define a generation of television storytelling that blended horror, drama and wit. The show’s influence extended far beyond its original run, inspiring academic study and continued fan engagement.

In “Ted Lasso,” his portrayal added layers of complexity to the series’ exploration of leadership, rivalry and redemption. Fans praised his ability to shift seamlessly between comedic timing and dramatic depth.

Throughout his career, Head balanced commercial success with artistic pursuits. His early advertising fame provided a platform, but it was his substantive television and stage work that cemented his reputation as a reliable and engaging actor.

Industry Impact and Career Span

Head’s six-decade career reflected the evolving entertainment landscape, from classic British television to global streaming hits. He navigated shifts in the industry while maintaining a consistent presence, adapting to new formats without losing the distinctive charm that defined his performances.

His stage work demonstrated a love for musical theater, where his singing voice and stage presence shone. Appearances in high-profile projects like “Bridgerton” in 2022 showed his enduring appeal to contemporary audiences.

As tributes continue to flow, the entertainment community reflects on Head’s contributions to storytelling that entertained and connected with millions. His roles often embodied mentorship, authority tempered with vulnerability, and quiet strength — qualities that mirrored his real-life persona according to those who knew him.

A Lasting Influence

Anthony Head’s passing comes as a significant loss for fans who grew up with “Buffy” and discovered him anew through “Ted Lasso.” His daughters’ words capture the personal impact: a father whose work touched countless lives while he cherished the opportunity to do what he loved.

In an era of rapid content consumption, Head’s body of work stands as a testament to the power of consistent, character-driven performances. From the libraries of Sunnydale to the pitch-side drama of Richmond, his characters left indelible marks on popular culture.

As the family mourns privately, the public celebrates a career defined by versatility, professionalism and genuine connection with audiences. Head’s legacy will continue through reruns, streaming platforms and the fond memories of those who found comfort, laughter and inspiration in his portrayals.

He is survived by his daughters Emily and Daisy, and other family members. Details of memorial services have not yet been announced.

Mayor Luke Campbell has set out Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Local Growth Plan — a 10-year framework built around four ‘Big Plays’ targeting investment in Humber Freeport, Hull’s Western Docklands, and regional transport improvements.

Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor Luke Campbell has spoken about the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority’s long-term vision to establish the region as a compelling destination for investment. The recently published Local Growth Plan sets out a 10-year blueprint to drive economic expansion across the area.

The plan, which has received Government approval, is structured around four core pillars, known as the ‘Big Plays’, which aim to harness and build upon the region’s existing strengths.

The plan seeks to pinpoint the region’s most significant investment opportunities. These are said to encompass the Humber Freeport sites in Hull and Goole, the ambitious regeneration of Hull’s Western Docklands, and the longer-term development prospects of Bridlington Bay.

The Growth Plan identifies sites across the region with strong potential for future housing development, spanning both Hull and the East Riding. These include land to the south of Thorpe Hall in Howden, which the document suggests has capacity for more than 1,800 homes, reports Hull Live.

The Growth Plan also incorporates the ‘Big Play Delivery Plans’, which outline how each of the Big Plays will be put into action. For instance, under the ‘backing local business’ Big Play, HEYCA will “identify and support industries and firms that have significant potential to drive growth in future and those that can directly connect to supply chains of growth driving sectors to support them to meet their full potential”.

“Yes it’s ambitious, but it should be,” the mayor said. He added: “We can get there, we can do it. Everything in the Growth Plan is possible. That’s the exciting thing. There’s nothing in there that’s unrealistic.”

In regions with more established Combined Authorities, enhanced public transport networks are frequently highlighted as among the most significant accomplishments, such as the Bee Network in Greater Manchester, where Andy Burnham serves as mayor. Mr Campbell has previously expressed admiration for the Bee Network and outlined that strengthening connectivity between communities across the region remains a key priority for his team.

The mayor said: “We’re in the process of setting up consultations and me going round the region, talking to people on the doorsteps, talking to local Parish Councils and residents on what their needs are for transport and what’s missing. All that residents are after is a reliable, affordable way for them to get from A to B as smooth as possible.

“We do a lot of services to York from Market Weighton and Beverley, they’re always busy. But I want to drive our economy towards Hull. I want people in the region to spend in the region. I don’t want to drive people out of the region to go spend in York, Sheffield, Leeds, or Manchester.”

The acquisition of Livingstone House paves the way for an expansion in the city

The owner of Leeds City College has acquired Livingstone House at Leeds Dock to create a new campus.

Luminate Education Group was advised by JLL in the transaction which is part of a plan to create a 71,000 sqft campus for the college. It will receive £8m Government funding to expand its education services in the city, creating up to 1,500 additional student places.

The landmark building was previously home to Yorkshire Water until 2023. It will now be transformed to accommodate 300 health and social care students in the first phase of development.

Luminate has secured a change of use application and with JLL’s support secured approval in December 2025 for the building to operate as an education facility. The acquisition was conditional on restructuring the existing 127-year leasehold interest from Yorkshire Water, which required detailed negotiations with superior landlord Allied London.

Lee Conroy, regional lead – lease advisory at JLL, added: “Restructuring the ground lease was fundamental to unlocking this opportunity for Luminate. The existing lease structure simply didn’t work for educational use, and we wanted to ensure Luminate were duly compensated if the superior landlord sold their interest in the future.

“Despite the added complication of Allied London’s administration during the final stages of the project, we successfully secured the changes needed. The agreement triggers the release of central government funding, allowing the building to be reimagined for educational use. The new campus will open to students in September 2026.”

Joanna Gabrilatsou, regional head of planning at JLL, said: “The application provided the opportunity to bring a vacant office building back into use within the Leeds Dock area. The new site is a response to the growing demand for further education accommodation for Leeds City College’s staff and students.

“Located between the college’s Printworks and Quarry Hill campuses, it will deliver an accessible location, increase in footfall, and contributing to the revitalisation of the area.”

Bill Jones, chief executive of Luminate Education Group, said: “This investment is extremely welcome, representing a positive step toward ensuring sufficient supply of post-16 opportunities for young people in Leeds and the wider region in the years ahead. Further education colleges have been sounding the alarm over increasing numbers of 16-to-18-year-olds for some time now, with Leeds City College operating at maximum capacity for the last few years.

“Given some of our longest waiting lists have been for health and care courses, this new facility will allow us to provide more young people the opportunity to train into vital roles across our health and care system.”

Around 16 equity mutual funds have multiplied investors’ lumpsum investments by over 2.3 times in the last five years, an analysis by ETMutualFunds showed. There were 209 funds in the said time period.

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund was the top performer and multiplied the lumpsum investment by 2.58 times in the last five years. A lumpsum investment of Rs 1 lakh made in this fund would have been Rs 2.58 lakh now with a CAGR of 20.90%.

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Bandhan Small Cap Fund multiplied the same investment by 2.52 times in the last five years, followed by two funds from Nippon India Mutual Fund. Nippon India Growth Mid Cap Fund and Nippon India Small Cap Fund multiplied the investments by 2.50 times each.

Quant Small Cap Fund multiplied the lumpsum investment by 2.49 times in the last five years, followed by HDFC Mid Cap Fund which multiplied the investments by 2.44 times. Invesco India Smallcap Fund and Motilal Oswal Large & Midcap Fund multiplied Rs 1 lakh lumpsum investment by 2.43 times each.

Invesco India Midcap Fund, Bank of India Small Cap Fund and Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund multiplied the same lumpsum investment by 2.42 times, 2.41 times and 2.40 times respectively.
Nippon India Multi Cap Fund multiplied this lumpsum investment by 2.38 times in the last five years, followed by four mid cap funds.HSBC Midcap Fund, ICICI Pru Midcap Fund, Mahindra Manulife Mid Cap Fund and Sundaram Mid Cap Fund multiplied the wealth by 2.37 times, 2.34 times, 2.33 times and 2.30 times respectively.

Others in the list

HSBC Small Cap Fund multiplied the lumpsum investment by 2.29 times in the last five years. HDFC Flexi Cap Fund multiplied the investment by 2.17 times in the same time period.

SBI Contra Fund, the oldest and largest contra fund, multiplied the investment by 2.15 times. SBI ELSS Tax Saver Fund, the oldest ELSS fund, multiplied the investment by 2.12 times. HDFC Small Cap Fund multiplied the same investment by 2.12 times.

Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund, the largest active and flexi cap fund based on assets managed, multiplied the same lumpsum investment by 1.97 times and gave a CAGR of 14.52% in the last five years.

Two funds from Kotak Mutual Fund – Kotak ELSS Tax Saver Fund and Kotak Flexicap Fund multiplied the investment by 1.73 times each. Axis Focused Fund was the last one in the list and multiplied the investment by 1.24 times in the last five years.

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Note, the above exercise is not a recommendation. The exercise was done to find which equity mutual funds multiplied the investments by 2.3 times in the last five years. One should not make investment or redemption decisions based on the above exercise.

One should always consider their risk appetite, investment horizon and financial goals before considering any fund for investment.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@timesinternet.in alongwith your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.

This article was written by

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

As India sees incessant FII selloff so far this year, the government and RBI announced a slew of measures to ease foreign investments in government securities, with analysts suggesting that these may provide some short-term support for Dalal Street.

India scrapped the long-term capital gains tax on investments by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in government securities through an ordinance issued on Friday. The government has now exempted FIIs from tax on any interest income from government securities, as well as capital gains arising from their sale, exchange or transfer, according to an official gazette. Separately, while announcing the outcome of the MPC meeting, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra also unveiled a series of measures to boost FPI investments, including expanding the Fully Accessible Route (FAR) to cover new issuances of 15-, 30- and 40-year government bonds.

Limits on investments by NRIs and OCIs in equity instruments without Sebi registration are being raised, allowing them to invest larger amounts without regulatory registration. The facility is also proposed to be extended to all Persons Resident Outside India (PROIs), bringing them on par with NRIs and OCIs. This came as the RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25%

What does this mean for Indian stock market?

The proposal to increase investment limits for NRIs and OCIs in listed equity instruments without Sebi registration, and to extend the same facility to all individual Persons Resident Outside India (PROIs), is a significant step toward broadening participation in Indian capital markets, which is expected to improve market depth, liquidity and long-term capital inflows, said Arun Poddar, CEO of Choice International.

He highlighted that equally important is the removal of capital gains tax on government securities investments for foreign investors. “This move strengthens the attractiveness of India’s bond market and could encourage greater foreign participation in government debt. At a time of heightened global volatility, these measures reinforce investor confidence, support capital inflows, and reaffirm India’s commitment to building deeper, more globally integrated financial markets, with the policy rate expected to remain low for an extended period,” he said.

The government’s move to exempt Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) from capital gains tax on any interest earned from government securities is “highly positive” for the capital markets, said Sumit Singhania, Head of Research at Bajaj Broking. “This fiscal cushion arrives at a crucial time, offering a strong shield to domestic markets as the RBI chief warned of volatile forex markets driven by shifting global sentiments,” he added.
The policy is distinctly positive for bond markets and well-capitalized Banks and NBFCs, which benefit from targeted hedging subsidies and systemic stability, according to Archit Doshi, Senior Vice President at PL (Prabhudas Lilladher) AMC. “Conversely, one should be underweight rate-sensitive sectors, which remain highly vulnerable to margin compression, higher inflation expectations, and the threat of the RBI reaching its tightening tipping point,” he said.Rajeev Radhakrishnan, CFA, CIO of Fixed Income at SBI Mutual Fund, also said that the announcements aimed at enabling more dollar inflows are more significant in the near term, even though the overall policy stance has been broadly in line with expectations. “The concessional swap facility should help stabilise short end market rates and the foreign exchange market in the near term,” he said.

For equities and debt markets, the measures to attract FII inflows are supportive of liquidity and inflows, while for the rupee, they signal a clear intent to anchor expectations and reduce volatility amid global oil shocks and sustained foreign selling pressure, said Ajit Mishra, Senior VP of Research at Religare Broking.

Sachin Bajaj, Chief Investment Officer at Axis Max Life Insurance, also said that the initiatives are expected to support capital inflows, deepen domestic bond markets, and provide support to the Indian rupee over the short to medium term.

RBI’s hawkish tone and the Indian stock market

While the measures taken to attract FII inflows in the debt market will likely provide short-term support for Dalal Street, analysts advised caution over the RBI’s hawkish policy stance. While the RBI maintained its policy repo rate as per expectations, the tone was much more cautious than in previous meetings.

Sachin Bajaj highlighted that the policy emphasised preserving macroeconomic stability amid the prevailing global macroeconomic environment. “We believe there are significant risks to inflation in the coming months due to the pass-through of higher commodity prices to consumers and elevated food prices resulting from a below-normal monsoon. Going forward, there is a risk of an upward revision in inflation projections, and given the evolving global backdrop, we believe the RBI is likely to maintain a prudent, data-dependent approach. Future policy actions will be contingent on evolving growth-inflation dynamics and global developments,” he added.

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While hawkish rhetoric without an accompanying rate hike provides a temporary respite for equity markets, it does not constitute an unequivocal endorsement of investment, particularly in highly rate-sensitive sectors such as real estate, automotive, and consumer discretionary goods, said Vipul Bhowar, Senior Director, Head of Equities at Waterfield Advisors.

“Should inflation necessitate a rate increase later this year, these sectors are likely to experience pressure on both margins and demand. For investors, the current strategy emphasises capital preservation by focusing on high-quality equities with strong pricing power. This cautious approach is designed to navigate the prevailing geopolitical uncertainties until conditions stabilise,” the analyst added.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Oyo’s parent company Prism Hotels and Resorts has cleared a key regulatory hurdle after receiving approval from capital markets regulator Sebi for its long-awaited IPO, marking a significant step in one of India’s most closely watched startup listings. The approval allows the hospitality firm, which owns the budget hotel chain Oyo, to move ahead with plans for a public issue estimated at Rs 6,650 crore, according to people familiar with the development.

The Sebi nod comes after multiple earlier attempts by the company to tap capital markets, including a high-profile filing in 2021 that was later withdrawn amid changing market conditions and internal restructuring. This time, the listing effort is being pursued under the rebranded parent entity Prism, reflecting a broader attempt to reposition the business after years of volatility in valuations and strategy shifts.

According to reports, the IPO is expected to consist primarily of a fresh issue of equity shares, with the company targeting a valuation in the range of $7–8 billion. The funds raised are expected to strengthen the balance sheet, support expansion in key domestic and international markets, and help the company continue its push toward profitability in the competitive travel and hospitality sector.

The approval is also being seen as a signal of renewed investor interest in technology-led hospitality platforms, especially as Prism has reported improving financial performance in recent quarters, including a return to profitability and stronger operational metrics.

Market observers say the listing will be closely tracked as a test of investor appetite for new-age consumer internet companies in India after a subdued IPO environment in recent years.

The company is now expected to finalise timing, pricing details, and updated draft documents before proceeding to market launch, depending on broader market conditions and regulatory finalisation steps.
If successful, the IPO would mark one of the most significant public market debuts in India’s startup ecosystem in 2026.