BBC iplayer : BBC iPlayer is the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) video-on-demand and live streaming service. It’s a treasure trove of British TV, with news, dramas, documentaries, comedies and more. Whether you’re in the UK or abroad, BBC iPlayer is your key to the best of British TV.
It’s free (except for the licence fee). It’s the home of top quality TV programs. You can download programmes for offline watching. And there are no adverts to skip. Put simply, BBC iPlayer is the UK’s best catch-up TV service.
Missed the last episode of Line of Duty, need another Pointless fix or want to see what all the Killing Eve or Fleabag fuss is about? BBC iPlayer is your answer. It was already a great desktop service when first introduced in 2007 and, well over a decade on, it’s even more excellent in its incarnation as an app for your TV, smartphone and tablet.
Unlike Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, iPlayer is free to use – so long as you pay the BBC’s annual licence fee (currently £159 for colour and £53.50 for black and white), which has been in place, in some form or another, for almost a century.
The on-demand service is the home of BBC shows that have recently aired, offering a (typically 30-day) window to catch them before they are free to whizz off to the BBC and ITV’s relatively new, £5.99-per-month BritBox streaming service, which is where you’ll find the biggest collection of British TV content ever, combining current and classic boxsets for on-demand viewing.
In a bid to boost the nation’s spirits during lockdown, the BBC helpfully added a slew of new long-term boxsets to iPlayer. The ‘from the archive’ tab in ‘categories’ is where you’ll find full series’ of classic fare such as Absolutely Fabulous, Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley as well as pretty much every Michael Palin documentary ever made.
It would be difficult to guess how many hours of content iPlayer offers at any one time, but there always seems to be at least one show on iPlayer that everyone is talking about – and that’s a credit to the broadcaster’s consistency for quality programming.
As with many streaming services these days, BBC iPlayer lets you download shows onto your smart device for offline watching for up to 30 days. This is great for long train journeys, if you’re travelling out of the country (iPlayer is only available in the UK) or can’t get any internet or data signal.
You can choose whether to restrict downloading to when you’re connected to a wi-fi network or allow downloading over your mobile network data in the app’s settings.
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BBC iPlayer’s familiar grid layout is neat and stylish, with its home screen logically presenting you with ‘Featured’, ‘Recommended for You’, ‘Continue Watching’ and ‘Most Popular’ suggestions. The service dynamically highlights programmes, too, mixing documentaries and comedy panel shows so that there’s something for everyone.
You can also browse programmes by channels (BBC One, BBC Two or CBeebies, for example), categories (Arts, Food and Documentaries, say) or TV guide schedules. Or you can simply search for them. You can add shows to your ‘My Programmes’ list, too, so new episodes are easy to access.
A recent refresh of the home page shifted the navigation menu to the left-hand side of the screen (not unlike fellow streaming giant Netflix), making it even easier to browse different categories and create more on-screen space for content discovery. With each update to iPlayer over the years, it has become fresher and more intuitive to use. Scrolling through the service is a swift and smooth process, regardless of what platform you’re using.
This is probably a good time to mention that the iPlayer app is available on over 15,000 devices: on pretty much every smart TV and media streamer, available to download across iOS and Android devices, even on Xbox Series X/S. It was even added to PS5 at the end of 2021, complete with 4K and HDR tech.
Despite having the iPlayer app it’s worth noting that Hisense 2020 TV devices and the PS4 Pro will not play the service’s selection of UHD content.
Just be aware that you need to create a BBC ID account to watch any iPlayer content, although it is free to sign up and stays logged in at all times, keeping your favourites list and watching history synced across all devices.
Creating Your BBC Account
Before you can get into BBC iPlayer, you need to create a BBC account. Here’s how:
- Go to the BBC iPlayer website or app: Go to the BBC iPlayer website or download the app on your device.
- Click Sign In: Find the Sign In button, usually in the top right corner of the screen.
- Register Now: You’ll be asked to sign in or register. Click Register Now to create a new account.
- Enter Your Details: Fill in the required info, including your name, email address, date of birth and password.
- Accept the Terms: Read and agree to the BBC’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
- Verify Your Email: Check your inbox for a verification email from BBC and click the link to confirm your account.
Logging into Your BBC Account
Once you have an account, logging in is easy:
- Go to BBC iPlayer: Open the website or app.
- Click Sign In: Click the Sign In button.
- Enter Your Details: Enter your email address and password.
- Sign In: You’ll be signed in and ready to go.
BBC Subscription Plans
While most of BBC iPlayer is free to watch, you’ll need a TV licence if you want to watch or record live TV programmes as they’re being broadcast. A TV licence is required in the UK for anyone who watches or records live TV on any channel or device, not just BBC iPlayer.
How to Pair BBC iPlayer with Your TV (bbc.com/tvcode)
Pairing BBC iPlayer with your TV is a great way to watch on a bigger screen. Follow these steps:
- Open BBC iPlayer on Your TV: Launch the BBC iPlayer app on your smart TV or streaming device.
- Find the TV Code: The app will show you a TV code.
- Go to bbc.com/tvcode: On a separate device (computer, smartphone or tablet), open a web browser and go to bbc.com/tvcode.
- Enter the Code: Type in the TV code on your TV screen.
- Sign In: If you’re not already signed in to your BBC account on the device, you’ll be asked to do so.
- Pair Your Devices: Once you’ve entered the code and signed in, your TV and device will be paired. You can now control iPlayer on your TV using the device.
Reset or Recover Your BBC iPlayer Password
Forgot your BBC iPlayer password? No worries. Here’s how to reset:
- Go to BBC iPlayer: Open the website or app.
- Click Sign In: Click the Sign In button.
- Need Help Signing In?: Below the sign-in form you’ll find this option. Click it.
- Enter Your Email: Enter the email address associated with your BBC account.
- Check Your Email: You’ll get an email with a link to reset your password.
- Create a New Password: Follow the instructions in the email to create a new password.
BBC iPlayer Tips
- Browse the Categories: BBC iPlayer has loads of content. Use the categories and search to find what you like.
- Add to Watchlist: Save programmes to watch later to your watchlist.
- Download for Offline: If you’re a UK resident with a TV licence, you can download many programmes to watch offline when you don’t have an internet connection.
- Subtitles and Audio Description: Use subtitles for the hard of hearing and audio description for the visually impaired.
- Live Events: BBC iPlayer often streams live events, such as sports and concerts. Look for the Live section to see what’s on.
So there you have it
BBC iPlayer is brilliant for anyone who loves British TV. With all this content and the easy to use interface, you can find new shows, catch up on old favourites and stay up to date with what’s going on. Whether you’re a lifelong Brit TV fan or just starting out, you’ll have hours of fun.