Watch BBC iPlayer For FREE, Live Broadcast in Australia

Sally Polly July 24, 2021 | 08:34

If you live in Australia and want to watch movies, sports and channels on BBC iPlayer, keep reading our detailed guide in the article below.

How to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia. Photo: VPNMentor

If you’re a BBC iPlayer Australian enthusiast who is wondering how to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia, you’ve come to the right place. BBC iPlayer is a British-based streaming service. It features an impressive all-English channel line-up, famous shows like EastEnders and MasterChef, adrenaline-filled Premier League action, binge-worthy British documentaries, and much more.

What is BBC iPlayer?

BBC iPlayer is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services delivered to UK-based viewers feature no commercial advertising. The terms BBC iPlayer, iPlayer, and BBC Media Player refer to various methods of viewing or listening to the same content. Viewing or recording live television broadcasts from any UK broadcaster or viewing BBC TV catch-up or BBC TV on-demand programmes in the UK without a TV licence is a criminal offence.

In 2015 the BBC reported that it was moving towards playing audio and video content via open HTML5 standards in web browsers rather than via Flash or its Media Player mobile app.

On 17 October 2018 the BBC iPlayer Radio brand was replaced with BBC Sounds.

Why You Need a VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer in Australia

If you live or travel beyond the UK’s borders, geoblocks automatically prevent you from accessing BBC iPlayer.

However, you can easily work around this if you have a VPN. A VPN masks your original IP address and assigns you a new one based on your chosen server location. In this case, picking a server in the UK makes you appear there and grants you access to your favorite BBC shows.

A VPN also keeps you safe and secures your online anonymity by encrypting your activity.

Many free VPNs claim to bypass geoblocks and keep you safe. While it may be tempting, these VPN services can be very limited or even dangerous. Some compromise your privacy with mediocre encryption, or even sell your data to third parties.

So, it’s important to pick a trusted VPN. Luckily, quite a few offer free trials and money-back guarantees.

If you’re looking for a VPN to access BBC iPlayer in Australia, you need one with high speeds, outstanding performance, and plenty of servers in the UK. Unlimited bandwidth and reliable connections are also very important.

Watch BBC iPlayer in Australia in 4 steps: Quick Guide

To watch BBC iPlayer in Australia, just follow these four easy steps:

Choose a VPN service. We recommend ExpressVPN for its fast speed and excellent geo-blocks bypassing ability.
Open the VPN app on your device. It could be your laptop, desktop, smartphone, tablet, or even smart TV.
Connect to a UK server from the servers’ list.
Go to bbc.co.uk/iplayer, enter your account username and password, and start watching BBC iPlayer in Australia.

BBC iPlayer Channels and Shows. Photo: Screenshot

Best VPN to watch BBC iPlayer for FREE in Australia

1. ExpressVPN

Known as one of the market’s fastest VPN, ExpressVPN delivers a feature-packed service for international streaming.

ExpressVPN offers numerous servers in the UK, optimized for consistently fast and stable connections to your favorite BBC shows. It also secures your data with its no-logs policy, automatic kill switch, and military-grade encryption.

To top it all, ExpressVPN also has a simple interface that caters to both VPN experts and beginners, making it a favorite among users. ExpressVPN is a powerful combination of streaming-friendliness, blazing speeds, topnotch security, and 24/7 live support.

If you’re not sure if ExpressVPN is right for you, you can try it out risk-free with the 30-day money-back guarantee, which comes with a no-questions-asked policy.

BBC iPlayer geo-restriction error. Photo: Screenshot

2. CyberGhost

With 370 UK servers to choose from, this VPN has long been one of the top choices for streaming BBC iPlayer in Oz. CyberGhost easily bypasses the channel’s super tough detection and geoblocking tools, delivering ultra-fast streaming and unlimited bandwidth.

You also get the strongest security available, your online identity protected with 256-bit AES encryption. CyberGhost’s user-friendly interface also makes it a popular pick for beginners and pros alike.

To test this VPN out for yourself, use the 45-day money-back guarantee.

3. PrivateVPN

As we’ve mentioned, a fast connection is a big factor in choosing a VPN for streaming, but you also want something that is easy to use. PrivateVPN fulfills both needs excellently.

This Sweden-based provider targets beginner users just learning about VPNs, with a simple interface, easy installation, and amazing customer support every step of the way. Put all this together, and you’ll be streaming BBC in no time.

PrivateVPNs beginner-friendly package doesn’t mean it has sacrificed security, however. With an automatic kill switch, strict no-logs policy, and IPv6 and DNS leak protection, you can rest assured you’re safe, secure, and hidden when using this VPN. It’s easy to see why users have sung the praises of this service.

With PrivateVPN, you will have no problem connecting to one of its many UK servers and accessing BBC from anywhere in Oz. Try it out for yourself, risk-free, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Do free VPNs work with BBC iPlayer?

Free VPNs used to work with BBC iPlayer but then it all changed. In 2016, the company tightened its grip over VPNs to stop people from streaming content outside the UK. This action from BBC rendered free VPNs ineffective against the in-place geo-blocks. They don’t work with BBC iPlayer anymore.

Still, if you are interested in using a free BBC iPlayer VPN, you can go for a paid VPN service that offers a free trial. It will give you free, limited-time access to the streaming service.

BBC iPlayer not working with your VPN? Try this…

Sometimes, you may encounter problems when trying to access BBC iPlayer even with a reliable VPN service. In that case, you can try one of the following fixes:

Switch to a different VPN server

Clear cookies from your browser settings, and then restart the browser

Make sure the leak protection on your VPN is on

Change your time zone to the UK

Switch your device

Rest assured, your BBC iPlayer should start working.

BBC iPlayer compatible devices

BBC iPlayer works on multiple devices, including:

Windows
Mac
Android
iOS
Roku
Amazon FireStick
Chromecast
PS3 and PS4
Xbox One and Xbox 360

Popular channels you can watch on BBC iPlayer Australia

If you are from Australia and want to watch BBC content, there aren’t many local options in the country that allow you to do so. At best, you’ve got Foxtel and Fetch TV that gives you limited access to five BBC channels, including BBC First, BBC Earth, UKTV, CBeebies, and World News.

While these channels house some seriously awesome content of their own, they make up only a fraction of what the BBC has to offer in entertainment, documentaries, drama, live sports, and news. That’s where BBC iPlayer comes in.

You can watch all BBC channels on BBC iPlayer, including: