Tired of being denied access to BBC iPlayer outside UK? If you reside the outside the U.K., either permanently, or during your travels, you are not supposed to get access to iPlayer, but there’s a simple method to circumvent that!
The BBC iPlayer has become popular due to a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the BBC does create TV if highest quality and hats-off to the world’s largest broadcasting organization in understanding the human emotions perfectly. And secondly, the iPlayer is a brilliant piece of software, which will ensure that we get to catch up on our most favorite show anytime.
But the BBC has been smart about offering their iPlayer services to residents of U.K only, mainly due to several licensing restrictions. Therefore, iPlayer shows are available ‘anytime’ but not ‘anywhere’. The iPlayer checks the source of the visit before displaying content.
Quite simply put, the iPlayer checks the IP address of the visitor to determine the geographic location of the user. If they find out that the source is outside the U.K, you will simply receive the above message. In this article, I will teach you how to watch BBC iPlayer outside UK.
The Solution For Watching BBC iPlayer Global
The good thing about the BBC iPlayer abroad is that it only checks the IP address of the visitor, and that too at the beginning of the streaming. It doesn’t go beyond that and certainly doesn’t take any drastic measures to ensure that the visitor is indeed from the U.K. This is why the average iPlayer user gets to watch their favorite show by logging in as a visitor from the U.K.
It is possible to hide your original IP and adopt a UK IP address either through free proxy servers or a premium VPN service providers. Free proxy servers can be found on websites that offer proxy addresses in return for display ads. By using a proxy server from the U.K, you can access the BBC iPlayer global. However, there is a catch.
The problem with most proxy servers is that being a free resource, they are highly unreliable and slow, which makes streaming videos next to impossible. In essence, most free proxy servers only work as a cloak for your original IP address, and after that, you can’t expect much in terms of a pleasant, fast or safe browsing experience.
But if you do find a good iPlayer proxy in U.K that is reliable, fast and secure, please let us know about it in the comments box below.
Use a VPN To Watch BBC iPlayer outside UK
VPN service providers on the other hand, are fully fledged anonymous web browsing service providers who offer a wide range of services related to browsing the web anonymously.
During the initial days, VPN was used to transfer data safely over secure tunnels and avoid leaving browsing trails for the prying eyes. Over the years, this has evolved into a niche industry altogether. Now VPN can be used for a secure browsing experience, anonymous web browsing, accessing blocked content, and more.
VPN are also being used extensively in countries like China, Iran, and other places where internet censorship is quite prevalent.
To get BBC iPlayer from outside the U.K, you will need to subscribe to a VPN company that offers servers and IP addresses in the U.K. We recommend NordVPN to do the job!

- Based in Panama
- Total servers: 5,500+ servers in 58 countries
- Logs: No logs
- Support : 24/7 Live Chat
- Unblock Netflix : Yes
- Refund : 30 days
- Discount : NordVPN Coupon 64% off
After signing up, all you have to do is choose a U.K server and IP address from your VPN application and visit the BBC iPlayer through your default browser. In most instances, you should be able to view the blocked content. However, if for any reason, you still can’t access the content, please check your network settings and see if your network configuration or firewalls are preventing you from connecting your VPN server.
Quite simply, you can point your browser to https://vpncreative.net/what-is-my-ip-address/ and see for yourself whether you are connecting from a UK address or from your current location. If you are still connecting from your current location, the customer service or support team at your VPN Company will be able to help you out.
You can start by browsing through our selection of top VPN service providers that are the top of the pile when it comes to a safe, secure, reliable and fast anonymous web browsing experience, including streaming media for the BBC iPlayer. Feel free to get in touch with us if you were able to get hold of a VPN service that is better than the ones listed on our website.
Free VPN services For The BBC iPlayer
There are free options available for VPN, but not necessarily the best option for unblocking the iPlayer. Free VPN service providers are basically provided for users to get a hang of the services rendered by a company, and is often provided as a restricted service.
Usually, there are bandwidth restrictions, restrictions on server choice, speed and more. That being said, you can certainly try out free VPN companies, and opt for a paid subscription as a last resort.
Tinkering With Your Computer Proxy Settings And Browser Extensions
Now this is something that most advanced users can’t get their head around. Sure, it is possible to use browser based VPN extensions to bypass servers, but this is usually a risky venture. Not only can this mess up the computer and browser, but several extensions can also leave a malware on your computer.
One can save the VPN subscription cost by adopting this strategy, but then again, saving money shouldn’t really be of concern, especially if the safety of your machine that’s keeping your valuable personal and business data is at serious risk.