The entertainment and animal welfare communities are in mourning following the death of Sarah Fisher, the long-term partner of actor Anthony Head. The sad news was confirmed on New Year's Day by the couple's daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head. Fisher was 61.
A Partnership Defined by Love and Independence
Anthony Head, 71, best known for playing Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, had been in a relationship with Sarah Fisher for three decades. In a poignant revelation made years before her passing, Head shared that despite their deep commitment, Fisher had no interest in formal marriage. He recounted how she would humorously tell him to 'f*** off' whenever he proposed.
'She just isn’t interested [in getting married]. She says f**k off and then runs off to throw up,' he told The Telegraph in 2018. Despite this, Head considered himself profoundly committed, stating, 'I just can’t imagine my life without Sarah. And I definitely wouldn’t want to.'
A Pillar of Support and an Animal Welfare Champion
Fisher was a dedicated animal rights activist whose work made a significant impact. She was a long-standing ambassador for Battersea Cats and Dogs Home in London and a patron of the Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary in Somerset. Her expertise in canine behaviour was invaluable, and she often fostered dogs while training staff and volunteers.
Battersea paid tribute, saying: 'We're truly sorry to lose our beloved friend and Ambassador... Sarah will be dearly missed by all of us.' Pauline Leeson of Holly Hedge added that Fisher was 'a voice for those dear souls who have no voice' and her legacy would live on in the countless animals she helped.
Fisher also played a crucial role in Head's career. In the early 1990s, she encouraged him to stay in the United States and pursue acting classes while she single-handedly cared for their young daughters in the UK. This perseverance ultimately led to him landing his iconic role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
A Family's Heartbreaking Tribute
The couple's daughters, Emily Head, 37, known for The Inbetweeners, and Daisy Head, 34, star of Guilt and Harlots, announced their mother's death. They described her as an 'extraordinary, kind and talented' woman whose passing was 'immensely shocking' and came with little warning.
In a joint statement, they said: 'No words could ever express all that she encompassed, or begin to describe the crater her absence has left... Our grief knows no bounds, nor did the reaches of her incredibly unique and irreplaceable spirit.' The family has not disclosed the cause of her death.
Anthony Head's career spans from the famous Nescafé Gold Blend ads to roles in Little Britain, Merlin, and most recently, Ted Lasso. Throughout his success, Sarah Fisher remained his steadfast partner, their unconventional 30-year union a testament to a deep, enduring love that needed no official certificate.
