‘Ted Lasso’ Star Billy Harris Talks Colin’s Big Episode: ‘I’ve Read Pretty Much Every Tweet’

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers for Season 3, Episode 6 of “Ted Lasso,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Shortly before Billy Harris landed the role of footballer Colin Hughes on the Apple TV+ smash “Ted Lasso,” he found himself without an agent. Rather than be discouraged, though, he sent a note to casting director Theo Park to let them know to keep him in mind for an upcoming project. “Lo and behold, a day later, this email came in about a show called ‘Ted Lasso,’” Harris recalls. Harris had only recently graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and the show marked his television debut. Though little was known about in the first season, the actor relished the opportunity to learn the ropes from what he calls “the best of the best.”

Now in its third season, Harris finds himself at the epicenter of a major storyline on the show. It all began in Season 2, when Colin made a passing comment about the gay dating app Grindr — after which, fans began to speculate on the character’s sexuality. The third episode of Season 3 confirmed that Colin is gay, and in a relationship with a man named Michael, played by Sam Liu. In the show’s just released sixth episode, more is revealed, as Colin is discovered at a gay bar in Amsterdam by journalist Trent Crimm (James Lance.) Trent reveals that he’s known Colin’s secret for some time, and proves to be a sympathetic listener as the two discuss the challenges of living in the public eye. At what point did they did they tell you that you were going to have a significant storyline in the current season? In Season 2, I was doing a little more here and there, as my character was developing, and I was very happy. Then there came