How to watch UK TV in Spain with a VPN in 2024

Want to watch British TV in Spain? Anybody can use a VPN to watch UK TV while abroad. We explain how to stream UK TV from Spain and recommend the best VPNs for streaming British TV.

British TV services like BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, and ITVX are blocked when in Spain. This can be frustrating if you are on vacation, traveling for work, or are a British expat living in Spain. The good news is that you can watch British TV channels and streaming services in Spain with a VPN. 

A VPN encrypts your internet connection and conceals your location from the websites you visit. By connecting to a VPN server in the UK, you get a valid British IP address. This makes you appear to be located back in the UK, allowing you to watch English TV from Spain.

Most VPNs have been blocked by popular British TV streams, including iPlayer, ITVX, TNT Sports, and Sky TV. Picking the wrong VPN could land you back where you started, or even risk your privacy. In this guide, we have pinpointed the best VPNs for the job and explained the entire process for watching UK TV in Spain.

How to watch British TV in Spain

If you are in a hurry to watch UK TV channels like iPlayer and Channel 4 while visiting Spain, we’ve got your back! You can follow the steps below to watch British TV shows like Coronation Street and Eastenders from outside of the UK. 

Here is how to watch UK TV in Spain with a VPN:

1. Pick a fast VPN that works to watch English TV channels. We recommend NordVPN because it is exceptionally secure, fast, and reliable for streaming British TV from abroad. Alternatively, you can use Surfshark, which is the best cheap VPN to watch UK TV in Spain; or ExpressVPN, an impressive all-rounder that is highly popular with streamers worldwide. Our links will automatically implement a coupon code that gets you the VPN at a discount.
2. Download and install the VPN software onto your streaming device. Our recommendations make apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Firestick to let you watch British TV on laptops, smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs.
3. Log in to the VPN app using your credentials from sign-up. You and your family can use the VPN on multiple devices at the same time.
4. Select a VPN server in the UK from the list of server options. Click Connect and wait for the VPN to establish the connection.
5. Launch your browser and navigate to the British TV streaming service you want to watch. Our recommendations work to watch iPlayer, ITVX, Virgin Media, Sky TV, and many other UK TV services seamlessly.

As soon as your VPN connects to the British server, you are ready to stream UK TV from Spain. If you experience any problems, we recommend that you clear the cookies and cache in your browser. Trackers left in your browser during previous streaming sessions can conflict with your VPN.

Most VPNs have already been blocked by British TV channels. Stick to our recommendations to avoid disappointment. You can use any of the VPNs in this guide to watch UK TV in Spain. 

What are the best VPNs for watching British TV in Spain?

We listed our five favorite VPNs for streaming British TV below. Each VPN has some unique attributes, so be sure to check our summaries to pick the best VPN for your needs. 

The best VPNs for watching UK TV in Spain:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN for streaming UK TV. Fast NordLynx protocol and UK servers that work to watch iPlayer, Sky TV, Now TV, TNT Sports, Paramount+, Virgin Media, Channel 4, ITVX, and many others. Strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Fast NordLynx protocol is ideal for streaming and gaming. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark: Large server network covering 100+ countries, including the UK. Works to watch Netflix UK, iPlayer, BT Sport, and many others. Allows unlimited connections, perfect for sharing your account with friends and family. Solid encryption and a no-logs policy.
3. ExpressVPN: Fast, secure, and reliable. Lets you connect to servers in 94+ countries, including the UK. Works to watch Channel 4, iPlayer, Channel 5, and many others. Apps use a kill switch and strong encryption. No-logs policy.
4. CyberGhost VPN: A cheap VPN that is excellent for beginners. Clearly labels UK servers by streaming service (iPlayer, ITVX, TNT Sports, etc). Secure and quick connections. .
5. PrivateVPN: Best UK TV VPN if you also want to torrent. Servers in 63+ countries. Streams more than a dozen Netflix regions.

Summary Table

If you want to know more about watching British TV in Spain, we recommend that you check out our guide to the best VPNs for streaming British TV. In that guide, you can read lengthier summaries about each of our favorite VPNs.

How we pick VPNs that work to watch UK TV in Spain

We test each VPN's security features before considering its ability to access content or services, such as British TV streams. As part of our VPN testing methodology, we check for DNS leaks, analyze the encryption implementation, assess the privacy policy, and test the apps ourselves. 

We test each VPN's speeds to ensure they won't leave you frustrated when streaming or performing other data-intensive tasks. The VPNs we recommend can all provide you with online security, freedom of access, and plenty of bandwidth. 

Here are the criteria we used to select the best VPNs for watching British TV in Spain:

• Reliably bypasses British TV region locks to watch UK TV in Spain.
• Fast speeds for streaming content in HD.
• Reliable customer support. 
• Robust privacy and security features, including AES encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and a choice of robust protocols.
• Compatibility with a wide choice of streaming devices. 
• A money-back guarantee to test the service yourself.
• A wide choice of servers that work to stream international streaming platforms, including Netflix.
• A strict no-logging policy that guarantees your activities remain confidential.

In addition to these important features, our top three recommendations use diskless servers that run on RAM and have completed an independent third-party audit to verify the VPN’s security claims.

To find out more about how we test and recommend VPNs, please check out our methodology guide. 

Watch UK TV Spain FAQs

Can I use a free VPN to watch Spanish TV?

No. We don’t know of any reliable free VPNs that work to watch British TV. Although a few premium VPNs have a limited free plan, those free plans are highly restricted. They have few server locations to pick from and cap bandwidth. This makes your connection to the free servers sluggish, which in turn, makes them unsuitable for streaming.

In addition, free plans purposefully block access to popular streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Prime Video, etc. They do this to encourage users to upgrade to a paid plan.

You can find dozens of free VPNs on app stores, but most of them aren’t trustworthy, and we don’t know of any that work for streaming. 

Many free VPNs have shady privacy policies that allow them to track their users. They can harvest user data sell it to third parties like marketing companies and data brokers. Most free VPNs spread your data further, rather than protecting your privacy.

Additionally, studies have revealed that many free VPNs suffer from leaks, lack sufficient encryption, have app and server vulnerabilities, and even conceal spyware or tracking libraries in their apps. This makes installing a free VPN a threat to the health of your devices and the security of your data.

Why is British TV blocked outside of the UK?

British TV networks and streaming platforms license the content they broadcast on their platforms from various copyright holders, publishers, and distributors. Those licensing contracts limit where streaming services can broadcast that content. In the case of TV services in the UK, streaming rights are limited to the British Isles.

To enforce these licensing agreements, websites like BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX, TNT Sports, etc, monitor each visitor's IP address. If the location of the IP address is outside of the UK, the user is served an error message and they are unable to stream any content.

Unfortunately, these kinds of blocks even affect paying customers. Even if you pay for Netflix or Amazon Prime and go on vacation, some of the content that is available to stream in the UK will disappear when you are abroad. Certain shows and movies have been licensed by Netflix (and other platforms) exclusively for the UK.

By connecting to a VPN server in England, you can get a British IP address from abroad. This makes you appear to be physically located back in the UK, which opens up those streaming services and allows you to stream UK TV in Spain (or anywhere else in the world). 

What UK TV can I watch with a VPN in Spain?

When you connect to a VPN server in Britain, you regain access to all UK TV services and streams. Below, we list some channels and services that you can watch with a VPN in Spain:

• BBC iPlayer
• ITVX
• Channel 4
• Channel 5
• Netflix UK
• Amazon Prime Video UK
• TNT Sports (BT Sport)
• Sky Go
• NOW (formerly NOW TV)
• Disney+ UK
• Apple TV+
• YouTube (UK channels)
• Hayu
• Discovery+
• Rakuten TV
• MUBI
• Crunchyroll (UK version)
• CuriosityStream (UK)
• Acorn TV UK
• Shudder (UK version)
• STV Player
• UKTV Play
• Red Bull TV (UK)
• The Roku Channel (UK)
• MotorTrend (UK)
• Hopster
• True Royalty TV

The best thing about British TV services like ITV, BBC, and Channel 4 is that they are completely free and packed with live TV channels and on-demand content. A VPN can provide you with access to a treasure trove of British content.

Can I watch Coronation Street in Spain?

Yes. When you connect to a VPN server in Britain, you can watch Coronation Street live or on demand via ITVX.

Can I watch Eastenders in Spain?

Yes. By connecting to a VPN server back home in Britain you will get a valid UK IP address. This makes you appear to be physically located back in the UK, which means you can head over to BBC iPlayer, login, and use your account as if you were back home. The result? You can stream Eastenders while holidaying in Spain.

Can I stream Premiership matches in Spain?

Yes. To watch Premier League games while in Spain, connect to a VPN server back home. Once the VPN has connected to the UK server, you can head over to your streaming service (Sky Sports, Prime Video, TNT Sports/BT Sport)  in your browser and log in as if you were back at home.

Is it legal to watch UK TV in Spain?

Yes. VPNs are completely legal in Spain. You can use them to gain online privacy or to bypass geo-restrictions. Nobody has been prosecuted for watching UK TV in Spain so far as we are aware.

That said, using a VPN to watch services like BBC iPlayer is technically against the terms of service. Despite this, we don’t know of anybody who has ever lost their iPlayer account for streaming while on holiday. 

Laws regarding VPN use vary around the world. If you travel somewhere other than Spain, then we recommend checking the local laws. Please note that we are not attorneys and nothing in this guide should be taken as legal advice.