Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way into Our Hearts

The definitive book on the TV show Ted Lasso, written by the NYT journalist who knows the cast and creators best and shares, in a pitch-perfect way, what made the show such a cultural touchstone, award-winner, and fan favorite.

When Ted Lasso first aired in 2020, nobody—including those who had worked on it—knew how a show centered around soccer, filled mostly with unknown actors, and led by a wondrously mustached “nice guy” would be received. 11 Emmys and one Peabody Award later, it’s safe to say that the show’s status as a pop culture phenomenon has been secured. Now, for the first time, New York Times television editor Jeremy Enger explores the creation, production, and incredibly potent legacy of Ted Lasso.

Drawing on new and existing interviews from key stars, Believe will take readers from the very first silly NBC Premier League commercial to the pitch to Apple executives, then into the show’s writer’s room packed with Sudeikis’s friends, through the brilliant international casting, and onto the set of Ted Lasso at the very height of Covid. Enger will cover the show’s creation and production season by season with frequent intriguing reveals that are sure to bring a smile to millions of fans (including the real soccer pros who appear as themselves in the show). 

Enger approaches his reporting with the love and appreciation of a true fan, carefully and humorously telling Ted Lasso’s story of teamwork, of hidden talent, of a group of friends looking around at the world’s  increasingly nasty discourse and deciding that maybe simple decency still had the power to move the needle; a story about what happens when you dare to believe.

About the Author

Jeremy Egner is the television editor for The New York Times, overseeing coverage of the medium and the people who make it. He joined The Times in 2008.