How to Watch Doctor Who from Anywhere (2024)
For over half a century, Doctor Who has captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences worldwide, taking them on adventures through time and space. However, this beloved series is not readily available everywhere since it left Netflix in 2021. Wonder where to watch Doctor Who and how to watch it for free? Look no further. This post will have all your questions answered.
Where to watch Doctor Who
Doctor Who is available on various streaming platforms such as BBC iPlayer, BritBox, and HBO Max. However, access to these platforms varies by location. If you’re not in the designated region, a VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN can help you unlock your preferred websites.
New series (2005 – Present) | |
---|---|
UK | BBC iPlayer (Free) |
US | HBO Max (starting at $9.99/mo.) |
Australia | Stan (starting at $12/mo.) |
Classic series (1963 – 1989) | |
---|---|
UK | BBC iPlayer (Free) |
US | BritBox (starting at $8.99/month) Pluto TV / Tubi TV (Free) |
Australia | Pluto TV / Tubi TV (Free) |
Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials | |
---|---|
UK | BBC iPlayer (Free) |
US | Disney+ (starting at $7.99/mo.) |
Australia | Disney+ (starting at $13.99/mo.) |
Season 14 (Premiere on May 10, 2024) | |
---|---|
UK | BBC iPlayer (Free) |
US | Disney+ (starting at $7.99/mo.) |
Australia | Disney+ (starting at $13.99/mo.) |
The best choice for watching Doctor Who is BBC iPlayer. It’s the only website that offers the full Doctor Who library for free, including all the classic and modern series and specials as well as the upcoming Season 14. Although BBC iPlayer is only available to UK, you can easily unblock it from anywhere in the world with a VPN.
Why do you need a VPN to watch Doctor Who
A VPN makes it possible for you to access streaming websites and content unavailable in your region. Beyond just that, it offers a variety of benefits that enhance your browsing and streaming experience.
Unblocks geo-restricted streaming content
Due to licensing agreements and copyright laws, streaming platforms are often restricted to certain countries or regions. By routing your internet traffic through a server in a different location, a VPN allows you to bypass those restrictions, and spoof your location to where the content is available or anywhere in the world.
Read More: Best VPNs to unblock Netflix
Prevent ISP throttling
You can expect a smooth and uninterrupted streaming experience using a premium VPN. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) may deliberately throttle or slow down your internet connections when they detect high bandwidth usage, such as streaming during peak times. By hiding your traffic and online activities, a VPN can prevent this effectively.
Protect online privacy
VPNs employ advanced encryption technology to protect your sensitive data from prying eyes, including governments, ISPs, and hackers. It encrypts your traffic data, such as browsing history, online communications, streaming habits, and IP address into scrambled unreadable formats, ensuring your privacy and security, especially when you’re streaming over public Wi-Fi.
How to watch Doctor Who with a VPN
By using a VPN, you can watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer for free even if you’re not in the UK. Here’s a detailed guide on how to do that.
1. Choose a reputable VPN. We recommend NordVPN and ExpressVPN for their superior unblocking capabilities and blazing-fast connections.
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Advanced security features to keep you safe online
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Lightning-fast speeds for smooth HD streaming
Unblocks popular streaming websites, BBC iPlayer, Netflix and more
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2. Download and install the VPN on your preferred streaming device, whether it’s a computer, smartphone, tablet, or smart TV.
3. Connect to any UK server. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN provide numerous servers across the UK, ensuring you have access without worrying about overcrowded connections.
4. Register on the BBC iPlayer app or website with your email address (if you don’t have an account). You’ll need to fill in your birth data, and gender. And you’ll be prompted to enter a UK postcode. Don’t worry. You can search for “UK postcode” on Google to get one.
The website will ask if you have a TV license before you watch the first video. Click I have a TV license. Watch Now. and you’re good to go.
5. Enjoy your fantastic Time Lord adventures. Sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the fantastic world of Doctor Who!
With these steps, you can unlock the TARDIS and embark on exciting adventures through time and space no matter where you are.
Best VPNs for watching Doctor Who
We’ve rigorously tested a range of popular VPNs with major streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, etc. For the best performance and stability for streaming TV series and movies online, these three VPNs leap to the top of our rankings.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is an industry-leading VPN provider for versatile purposes, streaming, gaming, and browsing. With a broad network of 6322 servers worldwide, it lets you get into the full catalogs on BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and many streaming websites. Within the UK, it provides ultra-fast servers in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester. I tested each location from our HK office, and all circumvent BBC iPlayer’s geo-blocks without being detected.
NordVPN also ranks the fastest among the VPNs we’ve come across. Built around Wireguard, a modern and efficient protocol, its in-house NordLynx protocol built around Wireguard guarantees strong encryption security without compromising on speed.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN lives up to its name as one of the fastest VPNs on the market. Powered by the proprietary protocol Lightway, ExpressVPN boasts lightning-fast speeds ideal for HD and 4K streams. From my tests, the slowdown of ExpressVPN is barely noticeable, less than 10% of my base connection most times.
ExpressVPN hosted quality 10-Gbps UK servers in London, Docklands, Wembley, East London, and the Midlands, which allows you to catch up on the very best British content with ease. I’ve tried accessing BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All4, and BritBox (UK) with ExpressVPN and didn’t encounter any issues.
You can simply choose the recommended servers for optimal performance, which are servers closest to your physical location and deliver better download speeds and lower latency.
3. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a perfect choice for budget-conscious consumers and avid streamers. With an expansive global server network, reliable connections, and top-notch encryption, it has as much to offer as many pricer services. Although CyberGhost’s server network is limited to 3 locations in the UK, fewer than NordVPN and ExpressVPN, it proved adept at unblocking BBC iPlayer seamlessly.
What’s worth mentioning is how well CyerbGhost optimizes the servers for different purposes. In addition to regular servers across the globe, it provides specialized servers tailored for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. The streaming-optimized servers cover the most popular streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime, Netflix, Brit favorites like BBC iPlayer, and many more, and it’s very intuitive to find the correct server for your desired service.
How to choose the best VPN to watch Doctor Who
It’s overwhelming to choose the best VPN from dozens of providers throughout the market. As estimated, there are over 100+ VPN services by 2024. If you’re picking a VPN best for streaming series like Doctor Who, there are some important metrics to look for.
Unblocking abilities
For streaming enthusiasts, a VPN’s capability to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming platforms is paramount. Make sure to check out a VPN’s server network, the number of the servers and their coverage, especially in the specific regions you intend to access.
A broader and larger server network typically indicates stronger unblock capabilities and reduces the risk of being blocklisted by streaming websites. Additionally, a VPN with ample server can mitigate server congestion, ensuring a smoother streaming experience.
Speed
Speed is vital for uninterrupted streaming. A VPN will naturally slow down connection, but some providers minimize the impact better than others. To assess a VPN’s speed reliability, we conducted speed tests during peak and off-peak hours.
Security & privacy
A VPN’s primary purpose is to keep you safe online. To evaluate a VPN’s security, you can examine the encryption and protocol used and review its logging policy and third-party privacy audits. Besides, look for advanced features such as multi-hop, obfuscation, and kill switch for added security. We recommend only those VPNs that have passed our rigorous leak tests, ensuring they function properly without exposing users’ real IP addresses.
Pricing
While privacy is invaluable, no one wants to break the bank to buy a VPN. Most reputable VPNs offer monthly subscriptions ranging from $9 – $15, with longer plans priced as low as $2 – $3 per month. Free VPNs, thoght tempting, should be avoided. They’re more likely to be blocked by streaming services, deliver poor performance, and worst of all, they’ll track and sell your personal data.
Premium VPNs with free plans such as Windscribe and atlasVPN could be an ideal choice if you don’t want to invest in a VPN immediately. Although the free plans offer limited servers and data, they maintain better security standards than obscure free services.
Rather than finding a “cheap” VPN, you may seek a product that offers the best value for money. Apart from basic functionalities, additional security features such as antivirus, ad-block, and password manager will make the subscription worthwhile.
FAQs
1. How to watch Doctor Who in the US?
US viewers can watch Doctor Who modern series on HBO Max and classic Who on BritBox (subscription is required). The Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials is available on Disney+. If you want to watch all the Doctor Who seasons in one place, BBC iPlayer is your go-to option but you’ll need a VPN to access it.
2. How to watch Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials?
If you’re in the UK, you can watch all the Doctor Who specials on BBC iPlayer. Audiences in the US, Canada, and Australia can watch the 60th anniversary specials on Disney+.
3. Is it free to watch Doctor Who?
You can watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer for free if you’re in the UK. Curated classic who episodes are also streaming for free on Tubi TV and Pluto TV.