Last Updated on March 19, 2024
How to Watch Dr Who in Ireland, Norway, Europe and Across the World
Almost every science fiction fan will have their own favorite Dr Who. However for some of us outside the UK it’s difficult to keep up with the latest shows since the BBC restarted them in 2005. If you don’t want to read all the explanation, then BBC iPlayer is your best bet and NordVPN the cheapest way to access it from outside the UK. You can now watch every single Dr Who episode ever made (apart from one) on BBC iPlayer including the new series and the 60th anniversary specials.
Where to Watch Dr Who Outside the UK
It used to be a little easier to watch Dr Who from places outside the United Kingdom. Sure you had to wait a while, but it wouldn’t be long before someone bought the DVDs and had uploaded every episode somewhere online.
Since everything started to move to streaming it’s actually got a little bit harder to find them. Depending on where you live then you can usually get access through a cable or satellite subscription. Yet these can be really expensive especially if you don’t want to watch anything else in the package.
For US Dr Who fans the usual route is through BBC America however this can also be hard to obtain depending on your TV/Cable provider.
BBC America though is obviously only accessible in the US so anywhere else can be even harder. The problem with online streaming that many of us find is that much of it is geo-restricted. Somewhere online there’s the perfect streaming service but if you’re not in the right country then you’ll find it blocked.
Fortunately there is a way to unblock these geo-restricted services and access the best sources to stream Dr Who. These are probably currently the BBC iPlayer which is restricted to UK based connections or the subscription based service available in the US which is called BritBox.
BritBox is Best for Classic Doctor Who
Britbox is the UK based streaming service which is run by the main UK TV channels. If you like classic UK TV then you’ll probably not want to look any further. It’s a paid subscription but it’s not expensive and there’s literally thousands of great UK TV programmes on it.
UPDATE January 2024 – BBC iPlayer now has all the classic Dr Who programmes too (except one which is subject to a legal dispute)
BritBox is currently available in Australia, Canada, USA and UK.
You can use your subscription in any of these countries. So for example if you subscribe in the UK you can access your account from the USA and so on. Britbox has all the original Dr Who series from 1963 to 1996 when it initially finished. That’s an awful lot of Doctors and a load of classic Dr Who – for Sci-fi fans it makes the £6 BritBox subscription great value on it’s own. You’ll also get a couple of the Dr Who spin off shows like The Sarah Jane Adventures.
BBC America – Watching Dr Who
For US residents often the easiest way to keep up with the latest episodes of Dr Who is through their existing TV or cable subscription. Here you should be looking for access to the BBC America channel, which you can also access online.
BBC America offers access to much of the BBC’s best programmes but mostly only current shows. For example you can watch the latest Dr Who episodes but none of the previous episodes. If you already have BBC America in your current subscriptions then it’s obviously a great option. However if you have to pay anything to upgrade your subscription or package then there are better alternatives,
Watching Doctor Who on the BBC iPlayer
To be honest this is probably the best option for any Dr Who fan. Not only can you watch the latest episodes the moment they are released but you get access to loads of the old episodes too. Currently there are the last twelve series available on the BBC iPlayer, which is 168 episodes. The latest version, series 13 will be available on BBC iPlayer in October 2021 too.
That’s a huge amount of Dr Who’s adventures – actually every single one since the series was revived. However there’s no actual guarantee of how long these episodes will remain there – so it’s worth checking before hand. The BBC iPlayer is an incredible resource which is actually totally free and has virtually no advertising to interrupt the programmes either
The problem of course, is that you need to be physically in the UK to watch it. The BBC is only available in the UK due to licensing agreements. However don’t worry those who like Doctor Who can use a VPN to watch from outside the UK. If you’re located elsewhere then a good VPN will allow you to enjoy Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer.
How to Watch Doctor Who Outside UK on BBC iPlayer
So the basic problem is that when you try and access the BBC iPlayer website it will first look to see where your IP is registered to. If it’s not in the UK then you will be politely be redirected to the ‘international version’ of the site – basically an information site without any of the TV and video options.
Even if you try to go directly to the streaming and TV sections, none of the options will work unfortunately. You’ll just get a message saying that the content is unavailable in your location or similar.
The fix though is relatively simple and doesn’t require any real technical knowledge. Loads of people use it from ex-pats in Spain to across the world. It does however involve hiding your real location and instead pretending to be in the United Kingdom.
Here’s how it’s done using NordVPN as an example –
UK VPN: Make Sure It’s Connected first
That’s all it there is to it. If you connect to a UK based VPN server then the website will think you are in the UK too. If you use servers from other countries, you’ll just see the geo-blocking error when you try to watch an episode of Doctor Who. However pick the right UK one and it means not only will BBC iPlayer work but all the other great UK television channels which are available online too.
A few years ago it didn’t really matter which VPN service you chose. As long as it had a decent speed UK server to select then everything would work fine. This is not the case in 2021, the BBC like most large media companies has been actively trying to stop these tactics working. It means that the majority of VPN services no longer work with the BBC anymore. A few companies have maintained access though – companies like NordVPN have created BBC specific servers which they ensure are not blocked.
BBC iPlayer Blocking Access to VPN Services
It’s worth knowing how the BBC are able to block VPN companies as it may help you find the right provider. Firstly it’s important to remember that you cannot assume a VPN will still work with the BBC anymore. This is not the case now and some of the most popular services are next to useless for watching thinks like Dr Who from abroad.
Although none of these companies can actually detect the presence of a VPN directly there are ways of working it out. For one, when you use a commercial VPN service to change your IP address for the most time you’re sharing it with thousands of people. That doesn’t normally matter as long as the servers and network is sufficiently fast. However it can make the VPN very easy to detect if thousands of these people are using BBC iPlayer simultaneously.
Most Media Sites Detect VPNs Like This
This is the easiest way to detect the presence of a VPN – thousands of concurrent connections using the same IP address. It’s a dead giveaway, after all what are the odds of all these thousands of people accessing through the same internet connection – virtually zero – it has to be a VPN. It’s a simple technique but effective and allows companies like the BBC to identify and block VPNs with very little effort.
It can be avoided though – if you have lots of UK servers and are carefully about how many use them at the same time a VPN can keep it’s servers from being identified. There’s obviously a cost involved though in both time and effort so not all VPN services have bothered to maintain this access. NordVPN is worth checking out though as they keep a selection of servers with access to the BBC iPlayer.
NordVPN BBC Enabled Servers
Here are the Nord VPN servers that give you access to BBC content the most efficiently.
UK# 1840-1847, 1850-1863, 1865, 1869, 1873, 1875-1878, 1880-1881, 1900-1901, 1903-1904, 1911, 1913, 1917, 1919-1920.
Search for a program to watch on BBC iPlayer to test it out and then bookmark that server to use next time.
What are the Best Episodes of Dr Who?
Obviously, a highly subjective question but if you’re new to the Doctor or simply need a reminder – here’s a few suggestions. These are some of the best episodes of Dr Who which you’ll find highly rated on most Dr Who fan sites.
Best BBC Dramas
The BBC has revealed the list of 2020’s top dramas. The titles include Bloodlands, Doctor Foster, The Bodyguard, Normal People, and more. There is an update that was announced on September 20, 2021 by R. James and Mark Gatiss’s ghost story, The Mezzotint” with Rory Kinnear which airs on BBC Two this Christmas season.”
This French series about Marie Antoinette takes us into her world of opulence as she deals with daily life at Versailles during the reign of Louis XVI
There’s so much on the BBC website and not just for science fiction fans. Other popular shows to watch are Holby city, EastEnders, Our Girl, Hidden, Poldark, Versailles, The Bridge. Almost every week there’s a couple of new dramas whether existing shows or entirely new ones. The BBC’s news coverage is among the best in the world and they also have a number of great current affairs programmes like Panorama. Obviously a lot is centred with a UK focus but there’s plenty of international affairs coverage too.
Watch ITV Outside UK
ITV is the UK’s largest commercial station and one of the largest and most respected TV companies in the world. It’s rightly famous for some of it’s dramas including the most famous one which is probably Downton Abbey. There’s much more though including some wonderful detective and crime dramas over the years including Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. There’s lots of new shows too coming up throughout 2021 – here’s some of the best.
The Tower
This series stars Game of Thrones actor Gemma Whelan as DS Sarah Collins, the investigation into the deaths of a veteran copper officer and a teenage girl, who have fallen from a tower block.
Stephen
A three-part sequel to “The Murder of Stephen Lawrence” that sets these events 13 years afterward and features the parents as they lead a campaign for justice.
Angela Black
In “Our Girl,” Angela Black, a seemingly normal woman living in the English countryside doesn’t have it all. She is secretly struggling at home with her husband Olivier who is controlling and brutal, and she can’t leave him despite their troubled relationship. Until one day a private investigator comes into her life and everything changes.
Hollington Drive
The story follows Theresa and her older headteacher sibling, Helen and their partners Fraser and David, a close group of people who love spending time with one another. However, things quickly go wrong at a family BBQ.
The Long Haul
“Our Girl” actor Ben Aldridge stars in this four-part event series about Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, who goes back to the community he left partly by choice and partly because of how people treated his late husband’s illness. A shocking murder investigation brings him back there to where it all began again.
Manhunt: Night Stalker
The series stars actor Martin Clunes, who played Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton in the critically acclaimed drama ‘Manhunt.’ Many older people had to live in fear of the sex offender’s 17-year crime spree.
FAQ – Dr Who, BBC iPlayer and VPNs
Where to get a VPN to watch?
Look online there are many decent, low priced VPN services available. For Doctor Who you should ensure that they have decent UK servers which are not blocked by the BBC.
Which VPNs work or don’t work with BBC iPlayer?
It’s difficult to list them all as it change all the time. Two that definitely work at the moment in 2024 are Identity Cloaker and NordVPN.
What is Doctor Who about
Doctor Who is a British television show that tells the story of an eccentric Time Lord, who travels through time and space in his TARDIS. The Doctor has many companions, including Clara Oswin Oswald, Bill Potts , Jenny Flint, Captain Jack Harkness.
Which VPN server should you use to watch Doctor who on BBC iPlayer?
You need a VPN server which is not blocked by the BBC and is based in the UK. It should also be fast if you want stream directly to your computer to watch.
Where can I watch the original 1960’s Doctor Who?
Some copies are floating around the internet. You can find some old episodes on YouTube as well. However the best place to enjoy the ‘classic’, original Dr Who shows is on Britbox.
Do I Need an Account for BBC iPlayer ?
You do but they’re entirely free and just used to keep track of the programmes you’re watching. Just set one up when you’re connected to a UK VPN server, any email address will do. You’ll be asked for a UK postcode, anyone will do or you can find a postcode here. You’ll also be asked if you have a UK TV license – there’s no check and you must answer YES to watch.
Is this the Same for ITV Hub ?
Yes ITV Hub requires and account and a valid postcode. There’s no question about a TV license though.
Can I Download Dr Who from the BBC iPlayer ?
You certainly can, BBC iPlayer has a downloaded where you can download programmes to watch offline later. It’s not hard but there’s a quick introduction here if you want to see it done.
Do any Free VPNs Work for Watching Dr Who?
They really don’t anymore, they’re either blocked, too slow or riddled with viruses – usually all three!
What other streaming services carry the new version of Doctor Who?
To watch the very latest versions you’ll need either BBC iPlayer or BBC America. There’s probably some access on other broadcasters across the world too.
How will the Doctor be saved from certain death?
Certain death usually happens at the end of a Doctor Who series and he will then be regenerated as a new actor. We’re due another Doctor this series as Jodie Whittaker is finishing.
Where to Watch Doctor Who in Ireland?
It depends whereabouts, all the latest Dr Who episodes are available on BBC iPlayer. You can access these from Northern Ireland without restriction as it’s part of the United Kingdom. If you’re South of the border in the Republic of Ireland then you’ll need a VPN that works with the BBC like NordVPN to hide your location.
How to Watch Doctor Who in Norway?
All the new Dr Who series are available on BBC iPlayer but unfortunately this is not accessible from Norway. The only way to gain access to the BBC’s free archive is to hide your location by changing your IP address to a UK one. The way most people do this is by using a VPN like NordVPN and then connecting to a UK server.