How to Watch BBC iPlayer From Ireland {Updated on September 2023}

Let’s learn how to watch BBC iPlayer from Ireland in this article.

Are you also one of those who are so eager to catch up with the critically acclaimed British drama The Luminaries or May Destroy You when you visited Ireland or somebody has suggested you? Now you are so in love with it.

Unfortunately, after the update of geo-blocking policies, BBC iPlayer is no longer available in Ireland

And if you have tried to stream made within an Irish IP address, then you might have faced an error that states that “This service is no longer available in your region.”

But not to worry, we have got you an easy solution that can help you cross the border into Northern Ireland so that you can watch new episodes of your favourite shows every week without any blocking issues.

The Key to cross these restriction policies is a VPN or a Virtual Private Network that helps you bypass them by providing an authorized IP address and securing your web traffic while you stream m.

The good thing about these VPNs is most of them are providing a money-back guarantee that you could invite yourself and try it for free.

You can also change your mind if you don’t like the service during the guarantee term and get your refund back without any questions asked.

Why You Need a VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer in Ireland

BBC iPlayer is a UK-based streaming service whose licensing policies are revised, and they will only allow those IP addresses to stream their content that belongs to the UK only.

If you are staying in Ireland then and other you can change your IP address with the help of a VPN Service, or you have to confront an error message which says that:

Error message: BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues. In the UK? Here’s some advice.

A premium VPN Service can provide you with a temporary UK IP address when you wish to connect with one of the servers in the UK.

It helps you change your location virtually that will appear as you are kept trying to connect to the platform right there from the UK. 

They will grant you access to watch Louis Theroux and Fleabag as much as you want sitting there in Ireland.

The most important thing to notice here is that not every VPN Service available in the market can bypass the geoblocks implemented by BBC iPlayer.

When you try to stream the service, the system of iPlayer compares your IP address with their registered list of known VPN IPs, and if they find your match, you will immediately get blocked. 

So in case if you want to avoid detection and a constant flow of service, you need a premium VPN that not only secures your connection but also provides you with an authorized IP address that is acceptable by the system of streaming service.

Now you might be thinking about which VPN Service is good for your requirement.

Hold on to the article. You will get to know about this sooner.

How to Watch BBC iPlayer in Ireland

To get started with the VPN Service, first, you have to follow these simple steps to ensure that the process goes in the right way:

  1. Choose a VPN service proven to bypass all the BBC iPlayer’s geoblocks. (In our recommendation, ExpressVPN is best because of its fast, secure, reliable and large UK network).
  1. Then download the VPN application to your device and sign in with your details. 
  1. Now search for the official website of BBC iPlayer. 
  1. Then, use your VPN to connect with a UK server. 
  1. And start streaming!

NOTE: 

To sign up for the service, you’ll be needing a UK postcode like NE1 1DG, NE4 9LU, or NE5 5AN. 

Also, BBC iPlayer will ask if you are entitled to a valid UK TV license. You don’t have to submit any proof of it, so click on YES and start enjoying it.

Best VPNs to Watch BBC iPlayer in Ireland

#1 ExpressVPN : Best VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer in Ireland

Expressvpn for bbc iplayer ireland

Key Features

3,000 servers worldwide, including 4 UK locations

Lightning Speed for HD streaming

Five simultaneous connections

Stream on devices that aren’t compatible with VPNs

30-day money-back guarantee

Compatible with: Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, and Routers

Works with: BBC iPlayer, Hulu, 
American Netflix in ireland, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO

First, we have placed ExpressVPN because of its excellent lighting speed in all their UK service for HD streaming of the content available on the BBC iPlayer right there in Ireland.

ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to test the service before actually buying it so that you can stay safe for 30 days and enjoy the free trial period.

They have a MediaStreamer feature that enables you to use the VPN on those devices that are not usually compatible with the VPNs, like your game consoles for smart TVs.

All credit goes to the handy guide provided by the ExpressVPN website, where you can check and find how to watch BBC iPlayer on your device with the step-by-step guide.

We have already tested the servers of ExpressVPN info UK location, and they all are capable of beating the geoblocks of BBC iPlayer.

We are also impressed by the reliability provided by ExpressVPN and the speed, which is also commendable.

We ran some tests and included that they are already providing a superfast 40 Mbps with a quick connection to the UK server. And undoubtedly, on the speed, you won’t face any buffering and can enjoy a sharp and vivid picture quality on your device.

ConnectionPing (ms)Download Speed (Mbps)Upload Speed (Mbps)
Starting Ireland Speed1161.7718. 92
Quick Connect UK Server2239.9516.98

Express VPN also offers unlimited bandwidth and data, so if you plan to watch the entire season of your favourite series, your connection is not going to disappoint you.

Dell customer care support is also very good as anybody can get their queries 24/7 with the live chat option.

Moreover, their representatives are very polite, helpful, and genuine in helping their customers with any possible problem.

#2 NordVPN

nordvpn  for bbc iplayer ireland

Key Features

5,460 global servers, 450+ UK servers

Superfast speeds with unlimited bandwidth

SmartPlay DNS for crossing iPlayer’s geoblocks

30-day money-back guarantee

Six simultaneous connections

Compatible with: Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, and Routers.

Works with: BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO, Amazon Prime Video

In the second position, we have placed NordVPN because of its lightning-fast speed, top-class performance and amazing unblocking powers.

Streaming the content on the BBC iPlayer from Ireland is no longer an exception, and when you use a VPN Service, you can take a risk-free 30-day money-back trial where you don’t like the service, you get your money back without any fuss.

SmartPlay DNS of NordVPN is one of the strongest streaming features, which automatically connects your device to the best of about 450 UK servers to let you stream BBC iPlayer. 

When we conducted a test, NordVPN unlocked BBC iPlayer in less than 40 seconds on my device.

The next thing that impressed me is its connection speed. Using the Quick Connect servers in the option, I experienced a drop of about 2% only to 60.49 Mbps.

If you want to stream BBC iPlayer in HD, then your connection needs to be run at 5 Mbps at least, and with the speed of 60.49 Mbps, there is no chance that you will get troubled with the buffering or low picture quality problem.

We tested some UK servers, which are quite faster than the starting speed in Ireland at over 65 Mbps, where we realize that this VPN is a great help in overcoming local throttle.

ConnectionPing (ms)Download Speed (Mbps)Upload Speed (Mbps)
Starting speed, Ireland location1161.7718. 92
Quick Connect UK Server1960.4918.55

The new superfast speed enables all the users to stream the BBC iPlayer without any buffering or lagging. 

No matter how long you watch Seven Worlds, One Planet in HD, the picture quality will remain crystal clear.

If you are also one of those people who, when you start a season, turn off the laptop after completing it then, you will be grateful to NordVPN’s Unlimited bandwidth and data to keep your speed stable and far away from dropouts.

Another great thing about the VPN services is that it allows you to have six simultaneous device connections without sacrificing any speed or performance. 

And in case you are looking for any assistance, you can rely on their 24/7 live chat support, which is very friendly and helpful when it comes to supporting their customers.

#3 Surfshark

surfshark  for bbc iplayer ireland

Key Features

3,200 servers worldwide, 3 UK server location.

Unlimited bandwidth and data

Fast network speeds for UHD streaming

Unlimited simultaneous connections

Compatible with: Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Chrome, Firefox, Linux, and Routers

30-day money-back guarantee

Works with: BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Sky Go, HBO

The most beautiful thing about SurfShark is the real bonus of unlimited simultaneous connections, which is a great value for money. 

With this much of a lounge, your whole family can stream their favourite shows at the same time without trading off with any picture quality or performance. 

One can stream their favourite content on BBC iPlayer on so many devices at a time on the risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee period also. 

We have tested all the servers of SurfShark based in the UK and found that all of them are capable of beating the geo-restrictions of BBC iPlayer from Ireland.

It isn’t as fast as other VPNs recommended, as ICA dropdown in my download speed by over 50% then connected with the UK server. 

It seems like a significant dip, but we still had the speed of 25.98 Mbps which is quite fast enough to provide you with a hassle-free Ultra HD streaming experience.

ConnectionPing (ms)Download Speed (Mbps)Upload Speed (Mbps)
Starting Ireland Speed1161.7718. 92
Quick Connect UK Server2729.9816.54

After thorough experiments, we concluded that SurfShark is efficient enough to eliminate lag and buffering problems while streaming.

In addition to that, they have also provided all the users with unlimited and unrestricted bandwidth where you won’t face any long loading times when you switch between the content without dropping connection which is a very great sign of the quality of service they are providing.

SurfShark also has a split tunneling feature that enables you to stream the content on almost every major streaming platform along with the Irish services simultaneously. 

If you have a question in your mind, you can reach their customer support available 24/7 via Live chat, where you will get your answers within a few minutes with complete information as required.

What can I watch on BBC iPlayer?

Some of the most popular TV shows you can watch on BBC iPlayer with a VPN include:

  • Top Gear
  • EastEnders
  • Doctor Who
  • His Dark Materials
  • Planet Earth
  • Killing Eve
  • The Graham Norton Show
  • Dracula
  • Normal People
  • Our Girl
  • A Suitable Boy
  • Inside No.9 

FAQ

  1. Will free VPNs work with BBC?

In our recommendation, we would suggest you stay away from this kind of free VPN Service as they are not reliable and Secure when it comes to providing security to the users. 

Though some free VPNs can look promising, do remember that they don’t follow all the privacy policies mentioned, and you might compromise your security with some threats.

  1. How much Internet does BBC iPlayer use?

Usually, the BBC iPlayer is streamable at different resolutions and can adjust the picture quality according to your current bandwidth.

And the highest resolution available is 720p, for which you need a minimum of 5 Mbps of bandwidth. You will need at least 3.2 Mbps to enjoy your favourite shows without any hurdle.

Conclusion

This article has detailed how you can watch BBC iPlayer from Ireland with a Premium VPN service. 

As per our recommendation, you can give ExpressVPN a try as this VPN never disappoints us regarding providing a combo of Privacy, Security, reliability, a good number of servers and access to major streaming sites. 

But before you go, make sure to check it out at your end also to have satisfaction while enjoying what you’re craving to watch.

Happy Streaming.

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