‘Out of touch’ Ted Lasso producers and Chelsea owner Todd Boehly infuriate fans after a tribute to club legend Ray Wilkins, unveiled after he died in 2018, is doctored to celebrate character Roy Kent instead in hit show’s new episode
- In the latest episode of Ted Lasso, Chelsea fans honoured character Roy Kent
- But, producers doctored a tribute to Blues legend Ray Wilkins to celebrate Kent
- Chelsea supporters were infuriated with this and slammed owner Todd Boehly
Chelsea fans have slammed the producers of hit show Ted Lasso and Chelsea owner Todd Boehly after a tribute to club legend Ray Wilkins was doctored to celebrate character Roy Kent in it’s latest episode.
Ted Lasso is a sports-comedy series where Lasso – an American coach – is recruited to manage fictional Premier League side AFC Richmond.
Now in its third series, the latest episode includes the return of Kent – modelled on former hard-hitting Man United star-turned pundit Roy Keane – to his former side Chelsea where he is viewed as a club legend.
Upon Kent’s return to Stamford Bridge – with the character now assistant coach at AFC Richmond – the action pans to a banner in the stands.
It reads ‘They don’t make them like Roy anymore’, as supporters can be heard chanting: ‘He’s here, he’s there, he’s every-f***ing where, Roy Kent, Roy Kent’, while the commentator adds: ‘That’s a lovely moment. Chelsea fans letting their former captain Roy Kent know how they still feel about him.’
Chelsea supporters have slammed the producers of hit show Ted Lasso and Chelsea owner Todd Boehly after a tribute to club legend Ray Wilkins (left) – who died in 2018 – was doctored
The real banner in tribute to Wilkins was doctored to celebrate ‘Roy Kent’ in the latest episode
Producers had changed ‘Ray’ to ‘Roy’ while keeping the rest of the tribute to the Blues legend
Roy Kent (centre) is the fictional character in Ted Lasso who is known as a Chelsea legend
However, it appears as if producers have doctored a banner dedicated to Chelsea club legend Ray Wilkins who tragically died aged 61 in 2018 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The former England international played more than 200 times for Chelsea between 1973-1979, while he had several spells as assistant manager, working with coaches such as Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti.
While a coach at Stamford Bridge, he won the Premier League in 2009-10 and three FA Cup trophies.
After he passed away in 2018, Chelsea unveiled a banner in honour of the club legend which still stands at home games and reads: ‘They don’t make them like Ray anymore.’
The airing of the episode – in which as mentioned above the banner reads ‘They don’t make them like Roy anymore’ – has caused much controversy with Blues supporters quick to slam the club’s hierarchy and the TV show, which airs on Apple TV.
One said: ‘NOW THIS is disgusting. Incredibly disrespectful to edit a banner of the late Ray Wilkins. Hugely concerning and embarrassing to think that Chelsea would have sanctioned this.’
Another added: ‘Yeah this ain’t it, all for Chelsea and it’s likeness being used in Ted Lasso but Ray Wilkins is a Chelsea legend who can’t even consent to his banner being changed. How they thought this would go down well I’ll never know….’
A further infuriated supporter added: ‘This is absolutely disgusting, editing over the Ray Wilkins banner to “Roy” for a TV publicity stunt with Ted Lasso, extremely disrespectful.’
Chelsea supporters slammed the decision to switch up the banner, labelling it ‘disgusting’
Blues fans also took aim at the Chelsea hierarchy and Todd Boehly for allowing this to happen
Supporters also took aim at the Todd Boehly-led hierarchy at the club, with many in disbelief at how they approved of something like this happening.
One said: ‘And the real indictment is that nobody flagged it up. Like obviously the TV wanted to make it as easy as possible to edit so picked the one that’s just a letter out. But that’s where someone who gets the club needs to say “actually no you can’t replace Ray Wilkins with Roy Kent”‘
Another added: ‘I mean, editing over a Ray Wilkins banner was a bit out of touch.’
A further supporter said: ‘Disrespecting Ray Wilkins for marketing is another blunder under the Boehly regime.’
Sportsmail contacted Chelsea and Apple TV for comment.
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