‘Ted Lasso:’ Toheeb Jimoh Says Rebecca’s Bantr Match Wasn’t a ‘Left Turn’
Ted Lasso fans were stunned and divided after season 2 episode 6 ‘The Signal’ aired. Not only did Coach (Jason Sudeikis) have a heartbreaking panic attack, but viewers finally found out who Rebecca Welton’s (Hannah Waddingham) dating app match was.
Since the episode aired, multiple actors have spoken out about the relationship decision, including Toheeb Jimoh, who plays Sam Obisanya.
Rebecca’s love life has been busy in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2
The AFC Richmond owner’s love life has been quite the rollercoaster ride this season. In the first episode, “Goodbye Earl,” Rebecca starts dating a man named John, who Roy Kent describes as “fine.”
After she realizes she “deserves someone who makes [her] feel like [she’s] been struck by f—ing lightning,” Rebecca ends the relationship and starts to match with potential suitors on “Bantr.” There she meets a string of hookups, one of which her mother sees fully nude. She starts innocently flirting with a mysterious Romeo on Keeley’s dating app.
The final moments of episode 6 reveal that rising star player Sam Obisanya is her banter match.
Some ‘Ted Lasso’ fans have reached out to Toheeb Jimoh supporting Sam and Rebecca
Though Sam and Rebecca appeared in some sweet scenes in season 1 together, fans thought their relationship reveal came out of nowhere. Sam is a sweet character to everyone he encounters, and Rebecca has kept a pretty professional relationship with him.
“It’s funny because I feel like some people are going to feel like it’s such a left turn,” Jimoh told RadioTimes in a recent interview that published after the episode aired.
However, the actor did note that there is a fan base for Sam and Rebecca shippers. “But there’s so many people on social media who have messaged me and been like, ‘Is Sam and Rebecca a thing? Is that going to happen?’ And so, there’s definitely a pocket of the fan base who had their eye on this and who are quietly shipping them together.”
Toheeb Jimoh addressed fan concerns about Sam Obisanya and Rebecca Welton’s relationship
Jimoh did address some of the issues audiences may have with the relationship, such as the age gap and the power difference between them.
In season 1, a lot of tension came from Rebecca’s ex-husband wielding similar power over the club while dating a younger woman. Rebecca also put the team at odds with former sponsor Dubai Air for Sam. Its parent company ruined Nigeria’s coastline with the help of the country’s government. All of those circumstances create problems for the couple.
“It’s one of those things where on paper, of course, it doesn’t make sense: she’s his employer and there’s also a massive age gap,” he said. “But then when you see them together… they are just two people who are compatible. Like, they’re soul bonded in a way… so you just kind of go, ‘Well then, why couldn’t it work?’”
Toheeb Jimoh is excited to see where the ‘Ted Lasso’ writers take the couple
Like supporters of the relationship, Jimoh is eager to see where Sam and Rebecca end up. He doesn’t see the barriers in the relationship that some fans do.
“I kind of want to see this happen, and I want to explore it and see how far it can go. I really believe it’s one of those things where if you find two people who are compatible on that level, who make each other happy, then I don’t care – just go for it, and as long as you’re happy, then fine.”
