'Ted Lasso' to Return This Summer With New Names, Familiar Faces

The fourth season of Ted Lasso is set to debut globally on Apple TV this summer, with Jason Sudeikis returning as Ted, who takes on the challenge of coaching a second-division women’s football team. First-look images introduce a new assistant coach played by Tanya Reynolds, show Brendan Hunt returning as Coach Beard, and reveal Grant Feely as Ted’s recast son, Henry. Additional photos feature Ted with Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca and hint that she recruits him back to Richmond. Season 4 begins in Kansas, where filming started in July, before Ted returns to London, joined by Henry for part of the season.

Spotify paid out $11 billion in royalties to the music industry in 2025, $1 billion more than the previous year, bringing its all-time payouts to $70 billion, according to Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s head of music. Hellman said half of the 2025 payout went to independent artists and labels, calling it the largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history and noting 10% year-over-year growth. He also outlined plans for 2026, including efforts to curb AI-generated “slop,” add more context to listening through features like SongDNA, and increase emphasis on human editorial to better support emerging artists.

The Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to pause its recent run of interest rate cuts, keeping its benchmark rate in a range of 3.5%-3.75% as it awaits new leadership and reassesses economic conditions. The decision halts three consecutive quarter-point cuts, with officials raising their outlook for economic growth and expressing less concern about labor-market weakness relative to inflation. In its post-meeting statement, the Fed said economic activity remains solid, job gains are low but stabilizing, and inflation is still somewhat elevated. The committee offered little guidance on next steps, with markets expecting no rate changes until at least June.

Financier Ross Stevens has pledged a record $100 million to provide every U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete with $200,000 starting at the Milan Cortina Games, regardless of performance. The funds will be distributed later in life and include a guaranteed benefit for athletes’ families, offering long-term financial security. Stevens said the initiative rewards human excellence without political strings attached and supports the self-funded U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry can officially add award-winning filmmaker to his decorated resume. The short documentary The Baddest Speechwriter of All, which he co-directed with two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival on Tuesday. The project focuses on Clarence B. Jones, attorney and key speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., now 93, who reflects on the personal costs and hidden truths of shaping history during the Civil Rights Movement.

Ralph Lauren is unveiling a 12-foot ice sculpture at Rockefeller Center featuring Team USA athletes Madison Chock, Red Gerard, and Brenna Huckaby in their Olympic parade uniforms. Carved from 10 tons of ice by champion ice artists, it will be on display Friday through Saturday. Another sculpture of gold medalist Erin Jackson will be installed at Top of the Rock for fan photos.

TOGETHXR announced Wednesday a strategic partnership and equity investment in Sportsish and its founder, Lily Shimbashi, to bring fresh, female-forward perspectives on sports and pop culture. The collab includes a new series, on-the-ground coverage at major sporting events, and the launch of the “Bestie Bowl” franchise, where Shimbashi matches NFL players with new friends using her “patented” formula. Founded in 2021, Sportsish has grown its community to over 331,000 followers across social media, generating 174 million video views and 9.6 million engagements, including 38 million views and 2.7 million engagements on TikTok in the past year.

Amazon confirmed plans to lay off 16,000 more corporate employees as part of efforts to reduce bureaucracy and fund investments in artificial intelligence. The cuts follow the 14,000 layoffs in October and were widely anticipated after the holiday season, though the company did not signal a recurring schedule of job cuts. In addition, Amazon is closing its cashierless Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh grocery stores as it continues to adjust its retail strategy.

Seth MacFarlane was named Nielsen’s first-ever Streaming Icon of the Year from the 2025 ARTEY Awards, celebrated for his decades-long ability to engage audiences across platforms. Last year, his TV series and films generated over 60 billion viewing minutes, with Family Guy ranking as the second-most-watched adult animation series and the seventh overall streaming program in 2025. Nielsen also reported that total streaming minutes reached 16.7 trillion collectively, up 19% from 2024, with Bluey as the most-watched series and Grey’s Anatomy as the runner-up.

Willy Chavarria and Adidas Originals have unveiled their latest sneaker, the 2026 Megaride AG, first seen on Chavarria’s Spring/Summer 2026 Paris runway show. The design features reflective and suede accents, mesh bases, and “Chavarria” printed on the tongue, built around Adidas’ Megaride cushioning system. The black colorway includes silver metal mesh, translucent TPU overlays, and red-accented outsoles, while the cream colorway has a cream mesh base, suede accents, and matte branding. The Adidas Originals x Willy Chavarria Megaride AG will be available globally on Friday.

Image: Courtesy of Apple TV