How to Watch BBC iPlayer in the US For to See Your Favorite British Shows

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Guess what? You don’t have to live in the UK to enjoy the best of British television, movies, and sports. If you want to watch new episodes of long-running BBC programs like MasterChef or exciting new series, documentaries, and films, read on to learn how to watch BBC iPlayer in the US for free below.

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BBC iPlayer is an online TV platform for watching BBC programs shortly after they’ve been broadcast. The earliest version launched in December 2007. The site currently offers all of the BBC’s channels, including BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, BBC News, and Radio 1. You can watch new and existing titles across a variety of genres, including soaps and dramas, comedies, documentaries, entertainment, and sports.

Watch ‘BBC iPlayer’

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BBC iPlayer is available to stream on a computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or games console using the BBC iPlayer app (connected TV, mobile and tablet only) or the BBC iPlayer website. The best part? The service is completely free. Discover how to watch BBC iPlayer in the US without any hassle below.

How to watch BBC iPlayer in the US

How can Americans watch BBC iPlayer in the US? BBC iPlayer is only available for UK residents, so to watch BBC iPlayer in the US, Americans will need a VPN (virtual private network), a service that allows users to set their computer’s location to another country and access websites that would otherwise be restricted by location. The most popular VPNs are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, AtlasVPN, and Pure VPN, all of which offer a 30-day-money-back guarantee. Keep on reading ahead to find out how to sign up for them to watch BBC iPlayer in the US.

Watch BBC iPlayer in the US with ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPN services, and the one we recommend above all others for a simple reason. The service—which allows users to set their location to more than 160 locations in 90 countries with unlimited bandwidth—offers a 30-day-money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN also has a current deal where users can subscribe for $6.67 per month with three months free for 12 months. Without any deals, ExpressVPN costs $12.95 per month for its monthly plan and $9.99 per month for its six-month plan. Each plan includes a 30-day-money-back guarantee.

Express VPN—which takes about five minutes to set up—also promises lightning-quick connectivity, 24-hour live-chat support and allows users to connect to any device, from computers to phones to tablets. Of course, users can do more than watch international events and shows in the US with a VPN. VPNs also allow users to access international versions of Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max (which have different content than in the US) as well as stream international services like Hayu, which has access to programs like the Real Housewives, Below Deck, The Bachelor and hundreds of other reality TV shows.

Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch BBC iPlayer in the US with ExpressVPN.

Watch ‘BBC iPlayer’ with ExpressVPN

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  1. Sign up for ExpressVPN and create an account

  2. Log into your ExpressVPN account and click “Download” on the “Dashboard” or in “Set Up Your Devices”

  3. Once you’ve installed ExpressVPN, enter the “Activation Code” from the “Dashboard” or in “Set Up Your Devices”

  4. Once ExpressVPN is set up, change your location to “UK” by clicking the connect icon to read “Connected” and selecting the country in the “Smart Location” menu

  5. Visit the BBC iPlayer website

  6. Create a BBC iPlayer account, sign in and start watching your favorite shows

Watch BBC iPlayer in the US with AtlasVPN

AtlasVPN—which offers a 30-day-money-back guarantee—costs $11.99 per month for a monthly plan, $3.29 per month for a yearly plan, and $1.64 per month for a two-year plan with an extra six months free. AtlasVPN offers more than 1,000 high-speed VPN servers, unlimited devices, 24/7 support, WireGuard protocol and passwordless login. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch BBC iPlayer in the US with AtlasVPN.

Watch ‘BBC iPlayer’ With AtlasVPN

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  1. Sign up for AtlasVPN and create an account

  2. Once finished, click “Go Premium” which will direct you to the downloads page

  3. Click “Get Atlas” for the platform of your choice

  4. Click “Download Now”

  5. Locate the file on your computer and follow the prompts to install AtlasVPN

  6. Click “Connect”

  7. Once AtlasVPN is set up, change your location to “UK” by clicking the server in the right bar

  8. Visit the BBC iPlayer website

  9. Create a BBC iPlayer account, sign in and start watching your favorite shows

Watch BBC iPlayer in the US with NordVPN

Nord VPN is another popular VPN service recommended by YouTubers like PewDiePie, Casey Neistat and Philip DeFranco. The service—which offers a 30-day-money-back guarantee—costs $12.99 per month for a Standard monthly plan; $4.49 per month for a Standard one-year plan, with three extra months free; and $2.99 per month for a Standard two-year plan with three extra months free. Along with access to more than 59 countries, NordVPN also allows users to connect to multiple devices (from computers to phones to tablets) and offers 24-hour live-chat support. Read on for step-by-step instructions for how to watch BBC iPlayer in the US with NordVPN.

Watch ‘BBC iPlayer’ With NordVPN

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  1. Sign up for NordVPN and create an account

  2. Log into your NordVPN account and click “Downloads” on the left-side menu

  3. Once you’ve installed NordVPN, log into your account

  4. Once NordVPN is set up, change your location to “UK” by clicking “Quick Connect” or searching the country in the menu

  5. Visit the BBC iPlayer website

  6. Create a BBC iPlayer account, sign in and start watching your favorite shows

Watch BBC iPlayer in the US with PureVPN

Another popular VPN service is Pure VPN, which offers a 31-day-money-back guarantee. PureVPN’s Max plans cost $20.45 per month for a monthly plan, $4.96 per month with three extra months free for a one-year plan, and $3.44 per month with three months free for a two-year plan. Pure VPN offers more than 6,5000 servers in over 78 countries across the world, as well as 24-hour live-chat support. Read on for step-by-step instructions for how to watch BBC iPlayer in the US with PureVPN.

Watch ‘BBC iPlayer’ With PureVPN

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  1. Sign up for PureVPN and create an account

  2. Once you’ve created your account, scroll to the bottom of PureVPN’s homepage and select the VPN that fits your device: Windows, MAC, IOS, etc.

  3. Click “Download the app”

  4. Once you’ve installed PureVPN, log into your account

  5. Once PureVPN is set up, change your location to “UK” by searching for the country in the right bar

  6. Visit the BBC iPlayer website

  7. Create a BBC iPlayer account, sign in and start watching your favorite shows

What can you watch on BBC iPlayer?

Judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace return for MasterChef Season 20
Judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace return for MasterChef Season 20

What can you watch on BBC iPlayer? You can tune into popular British programs on the streaming service, including The Apprentice, The Great British Bake Off, MasterChef, This Town, Doctors, Glow Up: Britian’s Next Make-Up Star, and more. Search for new and existing shows by channel, category, A-Z, and TV Guide, or make a watchlist to save programs you want to watch later.

For sports programming, you can catch soccer (football), F1, cricket, tennis, rugby, and more on BBC iPlayer, from live matches and commentary to sports documentaries.

What’s new on BBC iPlayer?

This Town on BBC iPlayer
This Town on BBC iPlayer

What’s new on BBC iPlayer? The site offers an impressive roster of new and returning titles this month, including the BAFTA-winning series Race Across the World, the sixth season of Glow Up: Britain’s Next Makeup Star, the one-hour documentary Meet the Roman Emperor with Mary Beard, which explores the emperors of Rome, and more.

Other programs to look out for include the new series Big Little CrimesMinistry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo, about 1960s cult leaders Susan and Tony Alamo, and This Town, which captures a band’s formation against a backdrop of violence. Check out some new and returning programs below.

  • Blue Lights

  • Dinosaur

  • Mammoth

  • Wisting

  • Big Zuu Goes to Mecca

  • Masterchef – Season 20

  • Traces – Season 2

  • Avoidance – Season 2

  • Mammals

  • Kurt Cobain: Moments That Shook Music

  • Stable: The Boxing Game

  • Tish

  • The Assembly

  • Free Solo

  • Wreck

  • Mandy

  • The Famous Five

  • Big Gay Wedding with Tom Allen

  • Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales

  • The Idaho Murders: Trial by TikTok

  • Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr

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