The BBC is one of the best-known TV networks in the entire world. That is not a coincidence as the TV channel has produced fantastic TV shows such as Doctor Who, Sherlock, Peaky Blinders, The Office, Fleabag, Killing Eve, Line of Duty, Luther, Downton Abbey, and Top Gear. Do you have a TV series that you would love to watch on BBC iPlayer, or maybe there is a brand new TV series or a live stream that you would like to watch? It is easy to watch BBC iPlayer online, not only if you are located in England, but also if you are located in some other country or even at a different continent. This article will give you the answer you have been looking for if you desire to watch BBC online with all its content both inside and outside the United Kingdom.
When you read the names of some of the famous BBC productions above, it is hard not to understand why BBC is a leading TV network. I just think about Benedict Cumberbatch in his role as Sherlock, it was simply amazing and one of the best interpretations of Sherlock ever. And then you have Cilian Murphy who was stunning in his role as the gangster Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders. This is the role that gave him his big breakthrough, something that later led him to becoming Oppenheimer in the extremely popular and highly awarded movie from 2023. Do you like strange humor and action? Then you might remember Killing Eve, one of the strangest stories I have ever seen about a brutal criminal and a police investigator trying to catch the criminal. The relationship betweeen the two, the way the investigator admires the criminal and so much more makes Killing Eve one of the best series ever.
Are you longing to watch a TV series that you are incapable of stopping before the final episode of a season? Line of Duty is the TV series for you. It brings you into the life of police officers in London fighting crime and corruption among police officers. It is a very tense TV series and I have personal experience watching way to many episodes in a row, simply because I was unable to stop before the given season came to an end.
I like criminal TV series, but Idris Alba in his role as Luther is actually one of few such series that has made me feel almost bad. The criminal acts described in the TV series are simply disgusting (often) and it isn't recommended for those easily disturbed by such scenes. If you'd rather watch something easier and a women who is tough in many ways, then Phoebe Waller-Bridge in her role as Fleabag in the series with the same name is yet another brilliant BBC production.
As you probably understand already, there are millions of reasons to watch BBC, both new programs, live streams, and all programs, documentaries, and TV series still available in the BBC library. But, how is it possible? If you live in the United Kingdom, you can simply visit the BBC iPlayer website, register a user, and stream whatever content you are interested in. You will immediately get access to live streams and also programs available in the BBC library.
Are you outside the United Kingdom? Are you trying to watch BBC iPlayer as well? Do you see an error message somewhat similar to the error message below?
You will see an error message telling you that BBC only works in the United Kingdom if you try to watch live streams, documentaries, or other programs abroad. This is because BBC are selling the broadcasting rights for their programs to other TV networks in other countries worldwide, and thus, the TV network does not have broadcasting rights to their own programs in Mexico, Spain, France, Japan, or maybe in Sweden. So, what can you do if you are in any of those countries in some other country and you long to watch a program or some other live content on BBC?
This is how you can watch BBC online wherever you are in the world!
So, let us get rid of that error message telling us that BBC is only available in the United Kingdom. This can be done by jumping on an airplane to Heathrow Airport in London. As you land, you can use the free WiFi available at the airport, and at once, you have an IP address in the United Kingdom, and you will be able to watch content on BBC iPlayer. But, that is a costly program, and it is also time demanding. Of course, if you have time, it is worth visiting London to take a closer look at the Big Ben, enjoy the view from London Eye, go for a walk in Hyde Park while taking photos of the squirrels walking around, and then traveling on the top of the popular double decker buses in London, before making an important selfie in one of the red phone booths in the city. You can find more tips on what to see and do in London in the following London Guide.
However, you probably don't want to travel to London or elsewhere in the United Kingdom right now. What is the solution if you want to watch BBC online without moving your actual body to the United Kingdom? You are in luck, because you can move the location of your computer, telephone, or tablet to the United Kingdom, without moving your body a centimeter. The solution you are looking for is called a VPN, and it creates a tunnel between your device and a server in the United Kingdom. As a result, all your traffic is sent through the tunnel, and any website or streaming service you visit will believe you are in the United Kingdom and not at your real location. Maybe you have heard a lot about VPN services, or maybe it is brand new to you?
Even though they don't speak directly about VPN services in the popular BBC series Line of Duty, they frequently discuss subjects related to VPN services such as digital security, encrypted communications, and cyber tactics used by both police and criminals. And in the world of encrypted communications and online security, a VPN connection is essential. Now, you don't have to care about encryption or online security, but you can still be interested in using a VPN to watch BBC online. This is what you must do!
You must buy a VPN subcscription to either PureVPN or NordVPN (use the links below to get discounts at both services).
Both these services have money-back guarantees valid for 30 days. PureVPN is a bit cheaper than NordVPN (normally). In real life they are very similar, and they can be used on all the big platforms and operating systems.
You must download the VPN application of the VPN provider and install it on your computers, phones, tablets, or whatever device you are planning to use.
As I mentioned, you can install both NordVPN and PureVPN on your Macintosh, iOS system (iPhone/iPad), Android system (phones/tablets), Fire tablets from Amazon, Windows computers, Linux, and much more. You will find all the download links and information you need at your membership pages to which you will get access after you have purchased your VPN subcsription.
Start the VPN application and connect to a server in the United Kingdom.
This is the step that will give you an IP address in the United Kingdom, and the step that will encrypt your data online, and make websites, streaming services, and games believe you are located in the United Kingdom. It might sound like a long journey, but it only takes a few seconds, and after that, you are virtually residing in the United Kingdom. As a result, you can restart your browser and visit the BBC iPlayer website again. You will no longer see the error message, and instead you can go ahead, register a user (for free) and stream BBC iPlayer with all its content. During the registration process you need to write down your ZIP code in the United Kingdom. Here you have three suggestions for ZIP codes you can use.
- SW1A 1AA – Westminster, London (near Buckingham Palace)
- EH1 1YZ – Edinburgh, Scotland (city center)
- B1 1AA – Birmingham, England (city center)
Now you are ready to watch all the content on BBC iPlayer. I have just followed these instructions myself, and before you watch anything at all, you will receive a message asking you if have got a TV license in the United Kingdom. The answer to that question is of course yes. And then you are ready to watch all your favorite content on BBC.
Above you can see the question BBC asks you about whether you have a TV license or not.
And here you have yet another picture as I watch a brand new episodes of the TV series Shetland on BBC iPlayer. Isn't that just fantastic?
And if you start thinking, then you probably understand that you can use both the mentioned VPN services to access other streaming services in the United Kingdom such as ITVX and Channel4, but also to watch TV networks in the United States such as NBC and CBS, and to watch streaming services such as Netflix, PeacockTV, Paramount+, ESPN+, Viaplay and many others.
Are you ready to go? What are you going to watch on BBC iPlayer? I would love to hear from you, so write a comment below if you have the time and let me know which TV series, documentary, or maybe live event has made you ask Google for help in finding out how you can watch BBC online outside the United Kingdom.
If you still have any remaining comments or questions, write them below. And do not forget to follow me here, as I like to write a lot about VPN services, online security, movies and TV shows on Netflix, and so much more.