Watch UK TV Abroad 2022 – Unblock BBC, All4 & More UK TV

There are many UK TV services that are available only in the United Kingdom and its territories. If you step outside the UK, you won’t be able to access them. This guide will show you how to watch UK TV abroad with and without a VPN. All you need to do is connect to the best UK TV VPN and get a UK IP address to replace your physical IP address. With that, you can choose UK streaming services or UK TV channels abroad. 

Even if you’re traveling outside the UK, you don’t have to miss out on all your favorite shows. You can easily access them with the best VPNs for UK TV. Take BBC iPlayer, for starters. The service is only available within the UK and a few territories, and you’ll only be able to access BBC iPlayer with a VPN that works for it.

Similarly, when you connect to a VPN, you’ll be able to catch up with all the latest UK TV channels and shows from anywhere in the world. However, because not all VPNs work with UK TV, we’ve tested and listed 5 reliable providers. Before your know it, you’ll be able to unblock and watch UK TV abroad or outside the UK.

How to watch UK TV abroad in 2022

5 Best VPNs to watch UK TV abroad – Quick list

• Surfshark is the best VPN to watch UK TV abroad. It offers UK TV VPN servers, unlimited device connections, fast speeds, and unblocks BBC iPlayer and other UK streaming services with unique security features.
• NordVPN is a secure UK TV VPN that bypasses some of the strictest blocks. It offers fast UK VPN servers. NordVPN doesn’t log user data, so you can watch UK TV abroad anonymously.
• ExpressVPN is one of the fastest UK TV VPNs. It comes with military-grade encryption and optimized UK servers to watch UK TV abroad.
• CyberGhost is more of a user-friendly VPN to watch UK TV abroad. This VPN unblocks UK TV shows and channels with servers that are optimized for it. Best of all, you can mask your IP address, bypassing detection.
• PureVPN works great with BBC iPlayer and other UK TV platforms, fast server speeds, and over 500+ servers in the UK.

Why do you need a VPN to watch UK TV abroad?

Most of the UK TV channels or streaming channels are geo-restricted and blocked outside the UK. The same applies to streaming services broadcast in other countries. So, if you’re planning to unblock and watch UK TV abroad, some of which include BBC iPlayer, Netflix UK, ITV Hub, and others, you will need the best VPN for it. Changing your IP address to a UK one allows you to bypass regional restrictions and other issues like ISP throttling, surveillance, or censorship. 

Best VPN to watch UK TV abroad in 2022 – Detailed analysis

When you try to access a UK TV service outside the UK, you’d often see the error message that says, “We’re sorry this service only works in the UK” or “Please disconnect from your proxy or VPN to access this service.” This is why most users need a VPN to watch UK TV abroad since they’re often blocked.  

The VPNs we went with were tested multiple times and offer you the chance to unblock and watch UK TV channels or streaming services while on the go. Let’s first start with the first provider that comes highly recommended:

1. Surfshark – Best VPN to watch UK TV abroad

Surfsark is currently the best and most affordable VPN to watch UK TV abroad. It not only offers access to these UK geo-restricted services but allows unlimited device connections. This is best for large families. 

Surfshark offers a smaller network coverage than other providers on my list, but that didn’t stop it from helping me access numerous streaming services and UK TV channels. I was able to unblock Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, and UKTV Play within minutes without any restrictions. It was almost as if I were in the UK itself.

The speeds weren’t as fast as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, but that a lot to do with my local internet speeds. Without a connection to the VPN, my speeds were 37.44 Mbps. And, with connection to the UK server, I got a 24.40 Mbps, which isn’t that bad. A VPN is only supposed to create stable speeds that your ISP usually throttles.

The speeds are good enough for you to stream content on ITV Hub or series on BBC iPlayer. You won’t experience any buffering issues, which is the main concern other than access. You’ll be able to stream on multiple devices at the same time since Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous device connections. This won’t hamper your speeds even if you’re connected to the same UK server.

Additionally, you’ll be able to access UK TV platforms or channels without any restrictions, mostly because of the Surfshark security and unblocking features.

For instance, to protect you from getting detected, Surfshark runs on 256-bit AES encryption. Then there’s also the NoBorders feature that will allow you to watch UK TV abroad or from high surveillance countries.

Do you have a streaming device that doesn’t support VPN apps? That’s alright because, with Surfshark’s Smart DNS options, you’ll be able to connect to it through router support. However, you’ll only be able to add this technology to one IP address at a time – in this case, a UK IP.

Need to try the VPN? Surfshark offers a 7 day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee. Many more features make Surfshark one of the best VPNs to watch UK TV.

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2. NordVPN – WAtch UK TV abroad with the best security

NordVPN, too, is a popular choice among users. It works exceptionally well to watch UK TV abroad.

What’s great about NordVPN is that you won’t experience server congestion, especially with its massive network coverage. Within its list of 5000+ servers, it has over 500 in the UK. When I tested the VPN, I unblocked All4, BritBox, UKTV Hub, and other UK TV services

If you want fast speeds, bypassing your ISP throttling, you’ll be happy with NordVPN. My local connection speed without the VPN was 105.05 Mbps. When I connected to the UK server, I got 99.93 Mbps. How impressive is that!

With speed results like this and unlimited bandwidth, you’ll be able to stream or watch UK TV without worrying about buffering. Let’s just say you can enjoy hours and hours of streaming the Classic EastEnders on UKTV Play.

The best part about NordVPN is that it offers numerous UK servers to connect with. It means you won’t experience overcrowding. Plus, you can watch unlimited hours of UK TV content on multiple devices simultaneously since NordVPN allows up to 6 multi-device connections.

Now, coming to one of NordVPN’s main attractions, its security and unblocking features. NordVPN is known for its strong security backing.

With that said, it offers a unique SmartPlay DNS feature. With this, you’ll be able to unblock UK TV within countries barred with major online censorship and surveillance laws.

NordVPN also offers Double VPN protection and a CyberSec feature to block malicious ads if you require extra online security. Plus, you could always test NordVPN during its free trial and 30-day refund period. Then you’ll be able to see why NordVPN is considered a great choice among users.

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3. ExpressVPN – Fastest VPN speeds to watch UK TV abroad

If your main concern is fast streaming speeds and access to numerous UK TV content from anywhere in the world, ExpressVPN will fit right down your alley. ExpressVPN is a strong VPN that bypassed most geo-blocked services when I tested it.

ExpressVPN, as mentioned above, offers a good network coverage of 3000+ servers in 94 countries, with many servers in 4 UK locations (Docklands, East London, London, and Wembley). You can connect to any of them to watch UK TV, regardless of your location. When I tested the VPN, I unblocked UKTV Hub, BBC iPlayer, Netflix UK, All4, BritBox, and more

You won’t experience any speed or bandwidth throttling, especially considering how the ExpressVPN UK servers performed during my tests. I got an 83.73 Mbps on download speeds over a 106.82 Mbps local internet connection. With those results, you can watch EastEnders, Last of the Summer Wine, and a lot more on HD with UK TV Play.

If ExpressVPN can balance out speeds like these on a normal speed internet, can you imagine the rate on a faster one? This is only one reason why ExpressVPN is considered one of the best to watch UK TV.

You and the whole family will be able to stream UK TV content from anywhere in the world, even if you’ll are living across the borders from each other. This is because ExpressVPN allows up to 5 multi-device connections over one subscription.

Apart from fast speeds and device compatibility, ExpressVPN is also great in the security department. For instance, a Smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer allows you to stream on devices that don’t support VPN apps.

You’ll be able to add the connection to the device with the help of a router. For example, LG Smart TVs don’t support VPN apps, and the MediaStreamer ExpressVPN feature can help with that. Other than that, the ExpressVPN apps come with a Kill Switch, leak protection and Split-Tunneling.

This VPN comes with a strict no-logs policy and is located in a safe region, called the British Virgin Islands. These factors play an important role in securing your online anonymity while streaming UK TV. All in all, I got extremely satisfactory results while testing and reviewing the ExpressVPN app.

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4. CyberGhost – Servers optimized for watching UK TV abroad

CyberGhost is one of the best and most user-friendly VPNs for streaming and makes an especially great client to watch UK TV abroad. The speeds and security might not be as great as Surfshark or NordVPN, but I assure you, this provider doesn’t fall short either.

Firstly, CyberGhost offers a large network of 6000+ servers in 59 countries, with over 450+ servers in the UK alone. This means users won’t have to worry about server congestion when trying to watch UK TV, nor have to experience slow speeds. With any CyberGhost UK server, we unblocked UKTV Hub, BBC iPlayer, Netflix UK, All4, BritBox, and more.

Okay, now coming to the speed tests. Remember I mentioned that a VPN’s speed has a lot to do with the internet connection you pay for? I ran CyberGhost speed tests with a poor internet connection to see how drastically the speeds dropped after connecting to the VPN.  So, on a connection of 13.45 Mbps, I got an 11.73 Mbps after connecting to the VPN’s UK server. That’s pretty impressive, considering my speeds were slow, to begin with. The results only dropped 2% lower than expected.

If the speeds only dropped a little with slower internet, imagine the speeds on a faster one? You’ll be able to bypass ISP speed throttling and enjoy uninterrupted access to UK TV Play, BBC iPlayer, All4, and others.

What’s more, even if you’re traveling abroad, you and your family back home can stream UK TV on the same VPN account simultaneously. This is because CyberGhost allows you to connect up to 7 devices.

Other than that, to make your experience on UK TV a whole lot safer, CyberGhost is known for its privacy and anonymity-building security features. Firstly, it runs on the best military-grade AES 256-bit encryption and Perfect Forward Secrecy to secure and mask your identity and data.

There are other advanced features like Kill Switch support and a Split-Tunneling feature called Exceptions. The CyberGhost apps also come with connectivity features like Ad and malicious website blocking, online traffic blocking, automated HTTPS for safe browsing, and data compression to ensure unlimited data.

CyberGhost follows a strict no-logs policy to ensure your privacy online, which means your data is in safe hands. The provider is also located in Romania, free from any 14-eyes countries. You can test CyberGhost with UK TV platforms using the 45-day money-back guarantee or its free trial. It will give you a feel of this user-friendly and secure app!

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5. PureVPN – Large coverage of UK servers for UK TV

Last but not least, we have PureVPN. You might know PureVPN for having adequate network coverage, but this user-friendly app offers a lot more, which makes it one of the best VPNs to watch UK TV from anywhere in the world.

Let’s talk about its server coverage.  PureVPN offers a massive coverage of 6500+ servers in 140+ countries. Its list has over 550+ servers in the UK, which is more than the others on this list. It means unlimited access to UK TV content on platforms like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, or Eurosport.

When I tested the PureVPN app for speeds, I was able to get really great results from the UK server. On a local internet connection I got 200Mbps, and after connecting to the VPN’s UK server, got  80.22Mbps. This will let you stream UK TV without any buffering issues.

Compared to other VPNs that usually score extremely slow speeds on a UK server, these results are definitely a plus point for PureVPN. To test it, I watched an entire season of EastEnders without any buffering or interruptions.

Need to protect more than one device with PureVPN? Or, you’d like to stream UK TV content on multiple devices in or outside the UK? Well, you’ll be able to. Another pro is that PureVPN allows its users to connect up to 10 devices simultaneously over one account.

If you’re wondering what the PureVPN security features are like, then you have nothing to worry about. PureVPN offers top of the line AES 256-bit encryption. It’ll safeguard all your activities and digital trails from your device to the internet. You can even choose which protocol to connect to for faster speeds and better security, which in this case, is OpenVPN, Wireguard, or IKEv2.

The PureVPN apps offer other security protection like a Kill Switch feature and Split-Tunneling to secure your connection to UK TV services. Don’t worry about your IP or data being exposed, PureVPN is leak protected. I even ran some tests to confirm that. There are other features, like Port Forwarding and DDoS protection, but that comes with a price.

You can test the app using its paid trial period of 7-days or the 31-day money-back guarantee. Plus side is, PureVPN is a no-logs VPN, meaning free from storing or stealing any user data. Overall, PureVPN made a wonderful VPN client for accessing UK TV and many other plus points, making it popular among users.

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How to use the VPN to watch UK TV?

Once you are connected and subscribed to the best VPNs for UK TV, there are two ways for you to watch UK TV content. One way is through streaming websites, and the other through UK TV apps.

· Through UK TV apps

Accessing UK TV through apps or websites isn’t really that different. For apps, you first need to subscribe to a UK TV VPN, and connect to the UK server.

Next, download the streaming app that you need, for instance BBC iPlayer or Netflix UK. Once you’re connected to the UK server, you’ll automatically be able to access these apps. However, mobile devices often have GPS settings to the location you’re physically residing in. Make sure to turn the GPS settings off before starting.

· Through streaming websites

There are few things to note when trying to watch UK TV through streaming websites. Make sure you’re connected to a UK TV VPN and a UK server for starters. Now, some services like UK Netflix or BBC iPlayer require a paid subscription.

However, as long as you are connected to a UK server, you will be able to create your account. If you are asked to provide a postal code or address while signing up for these services, make sure you add a UK one.

Besides that, when you’re connected to a UK server and already have a paid subscription to a UK TV service, you must clear your cookies and cache. Lastly, start streaming!

What are the best channels to watch UK TV?

You’ll find numerous British content on several UK TV apps or channels. But, if you’re only looking for the best, they are:

• BBC iPlayer
• Netflix UK
• Eurosport Player
• All 4
• Sky Go
• BT Sport
• ITV Hub
• Film4

Frequently Asked Questions – Watch UK TV Abroad

Can I use a free VPN to watch UK TV abroad?

You can, but it might not work. There are very few free VPNs that offer a UK server. We suggest choosing a premium VPN to unblock and watch UK TV abroad. I’d particularly recommend Surfshark. You only need to download and install the VPN on your device and connect to a UK VPN server. 

How can I watch UK TV online for free?

Using any of the VPNs on our list, you can access numerous UK TV channels or streaming services online using the VPN’s free trial. 

What streaming service has UK TV?

There are several streaming services that offer UK TV. You can watch UK TV abroad on Netflix UK, Acorn TV, BritBox, Hulu, and many others. You can access all of them outside the UK with the best UK TV VPN for it.  

How can I watch British TV online?

You can watch British TV online from services like BBC, Acron TV, and ITV. If, however, you’re outside the UK, you can unblock them with the best VPN for it. Surfshark offers UK VPN servers to watch UK TV abroad. 

Can I watch British TV with a VPN?

Yes, you can watch UK TV on your device with a VPN even if you’re outside the UK. However, make sure you’re connected to a reliable VPN service like Surfshark to make that happen. 

How can I watch UK TV outside UK?

Using the best VPN, you can watch UK TV abroad or outside the UK. First, sign up with the VPN, and download and install the VPN on your device. Connect to the best UK VPN server and then unblock the UK streaming service that you’d like. 

Can I watch UK TV in USA?

To watch UK TV in the US, connect to a VPN UK server and access it. A VPN can mask your IP address and encrypt your connection. This will make you appear like you’re virtually in the UK. 

How can I watch UK TV abroad without a VPN?

You could go for a paid service called Beebs to access UK TV without a VPN. However, the safer option would be to use a VPN. 

Is it legal to use a VPN to watch UK TV abroad?

Yes, using a VPN to watch UK TV abroad is legal. However, make sure you go for a provider that doesn’t log user data. The 5 VPNs on the list above come highly recommended. 

To conclude

Even if you already have a paid subscription to UK channels, you’d still be blocked outside the UK. However, with the help of the best VPNs on our list above, you’d be able to watch UK TV abroad without any hassles.