How to Watch CBeebies TV Abroad Online – BBC iPlayer
It might seem a little over the top but for many parents of young children CBeebies is probably the most important TV channel in the world. If you’re not from the UK or don’t have small children then you may not have heard of it, but for some of us it’s vital believe me. If you agree and just want to see how to watch CBeebies from outside the UK then scroll down. Basically, find a VPN like NordVPN which works with the BBC, connect to a UK server, then sign up and watch for free.
It’s one of the things the BBC does perhaps better than anyone else in the world. At least as far as English spoken children’s content I’ve never seen anything as remotely good. Certainly my children think the same too, if you need some time to yourself – then CBeebies usually delivers!
Now naturally for anyone who’s used to this babysitting delight, being deprived of the channel is pretty traumatic. So consider the trials of taking a toddler abroad who won’t understand the fact that it doesn’t work outside the UK. Just like the rest of the BBC’s online content – CBeebies is blocked outside the United Kingdom due to rights restrictions.
Where Do I find CBeebies?
Well there’s a lot of different shows on CBeebies so you can find them on all sorts of platforms. Many of the most popular individual shows are released on DVD, BluRays etc and you can buy or rent them on many platforms like Amazon Prime. However there’s only one place you can watch them all on a dedicated channel and that’s BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is an online streaming service from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). It is an on-demand and live streaming service that allows users to watch a wide range of TV programmes, films and radio shows from the BBC. It is available for web browsers, media streaming devices, and mobile devices. There’s two dedicated children’s channels there – CBeebies for preschoolers and CBBC for older children – both full of great quality children’s shows.
Cost of the BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer is essentially free to air although there is a requirement in the UK that to watch any live TV channels you need a UK TV license. This includes all live TV from any of the broadcasters including BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and others. Even if you pay for a premium channel or service like Sky or Virgin then you still need a UK TV license to watch.
The license costs about £159 a year and is pretty much obligatory if you watch any sort of television in the UK. Indeed you have to actively opt out if you don’t want to buy one and stick to YouTube. It’s pretty good value though, the BBC is a world class broadcaster and there’s eleven live channels plus thousands of programmes available on demand too. Plus of course, the life saving CBeebies for parents of young children!
BBC iPlayer Available in UK Only
The wonderful resource that is the BBC iPlayer doesn’t have many drawbacks except perhaps one. The moment you step outside the UK then it becomes inaccessible – it’s only accessible to domestic users physically located in the UK.
So anyone outside the physical boundaries of the UK will get blocked. Doesn’t matter if you’re just on holiday or travelling for work. It doesn’t matter that you’ve paid for a TV license for the past fifty years – if you’re not in the UK then you can’t watch.
No CBeebies Live Stream Either!
It’s an all or nothing ban, there are no exceptions other than the small number of videos released on the BBC’s YouTube channel. There was some hope in that the EU were sorting out a European digital market. This would have enforced any digital service bought in the European Union to be available anywhere in Europe. However, obviously we’ve lost that option thanks to Brexit and the BBC where quick to pull out of this initiative.
Streaming Services Use Geo-Targeting
They use a technology called geo-targeting or geo-blocking which is used by thousands of websites across the internet. This involves looking up the location of a user from the IP address which has been assigned to their computer or device. It’s a simple but actually quite effective method of determining your location.
Fortunately, there is a workaround which can bypass the BBC’s blocks and it’s actually quite simple. I can guarantee you at this moment tens of thousands of retired expats all over the world are using the very same workaround to enjoy British TV in their retirement.
How to Watch CBeebies Online Abroad
Ironically if you’re travelling or on holiday with kids, it’s then when CBeebies is really missed. After all there’s usually not as many alternatives which you can fit in suitcase! Yet fear not, all is not lost and there is actually a way of accessing the CBeebies site, and all the rest of British television online irrespective of your location.
Watch CBeebies Channel using a VPN
Here’s a video demonstrating how to access Cbeebies outside the UK it’s also available on YouTube if you have problems watching it.
The process is quite simple, all you have to do is use a VPN to hide your IP address. It sounds complicated but in practice comes down to clicking a button to select the country. When you’re connected to a UK VPN server – BBC iPlayer will only see the location of the VPN and so everything will work.
The program demonstrated in the video which you can get here also has apps for tablets and smart phones too.
Best Shows on CBeebies
Your little ones will of course decide, but here’s some of the most popular shows on CBeebies live TV. SOme are older shows but are normally repeated and you can access them all when you learn how to watch cbeebies in the US. All the guidelines and methods in this post are still working in 2024!
Important – Watching the BBC Abroad
Here’s a few other things that you’ll need to know about watching CBeebies, BBC iPlayer and using a VPN abroad.
UK TV License
First remember if you’re watching anything on BBC iPlayer and you live in the UK then you must get a TV license. It’s a big fine if you’re caught and prosecuted. There is a presumption that everyone has a TV license and they catch tens of thousands of people every year who try and avoid paying.
However, this is a UK law affecting people who are resident in the UK. You cannot even buy a TV license outside the UK so you cannot purchase one to watch the BBC legitimately abroad. You will be asked if you have a UK TV license when watching – this is the only check though. Just answer YES to watch or you’ll be blocked from streaming anything.
It’s not illegal, you’re not breaking any law – however you are breaking the terms and conditions of the BBC iPlayer application. If you can live with that then you can join the millions of others who do exactly that !
BBC iPlayer Account
When you access the BBC iPlayer site if you’ve not used it before you’ll be prompted for two things. Firstly that you have a valid UK TV license, which you have to answer in the affirmative to continue. Secondly they want you to create and use a BBC iPlayer account, there’s nothing to worry about this.
It’s completely free and mainly used to keep track of what you’ve watched and suggest viewing. The BBC will also use the information for marketing purposes too.
Just create the account while connected to a UK VPN and everything will work perfectly. Remember to input a UK address/postcode when promoted though or it won’t.
I Need a UK Postcode for Access!
It’s amazing how many people give up on accessing BBC iPlayer because they don’t have a UK postcode. It’s actually very simple, because they think the BBC will check who lives at what postcode. They don’t ! The only check that takes place is to see if it’s a valid and real postcode.
So if you inputted the postcode of The Ritz, Liverpool football stadium or the British Museum then you’d be fine. The postcode needs to be valid, that’s all that matters. It is used to configure which local news you get – but you can change that in the settings when you login.
CBeebies Live Streaming – Bedtime Show !
The ‘Time for Bed’ countdown was a huge part of our kids bedtime routine when they were little and probably saved my marriage! However remember it’s broadcast live and so the timing will be completely different if you live outside the UK.
A simple fact but one that’s crucial if you want to use CBeebies to help your kids get to bed on time. Remember to record or pause the programme ready for use or they may be waiting up until midnight !
Is it legal to Watch CBeebies using a VPN Abroad ?
No absolutely not, the only legal requirement is that you need a UK TV license to watch in the UK. This is obviously a UK law so won’t affect anyone outside the UK.
You are breaking the terms and conditions of the BBC iPlayer site though by watching from abroad. So what could happen? Well you could be blocked from streaming the service – which is what happens anyway!
Don’t worry, literally millions of people do this every day. Maybe one day the BBC will completely block access, there are ways they could do this. Until then enjoy possibly the best TV stations on the planet – the wonderful BBC iPlayer.
I Heard VPNs don’t Work with the BBC Anymore
This is partly true, although in 2023 there are still quite a few VPNs that still work perfectly. In around 2017 the BBC suddenly started making a big effort to block this workaround. They had never really cared before and were fully aware that millions used their service from around the world.
I’m not sure of the reason but they were very effective at detecting and blocking hundreds of VPN services completely. The method involved a mixture of tactics but the main one was detecting multiple concurrent IP connections i.e. thousands of people streaming from an identical IP address (the VPN server).
They can’t detect the VPN directly but this method is highly effective at detecting a high probability of a VPN or proxy server. The VPN services can keep access open but it takes time, effort and resources and most didn’t bother. A few do though and there’s still quite a lot of choice – just check with them first or ensure they have money back guarantee so you can try it out.
What’s CBeebies TV ?
CBeebies is a British television network owned by the BBC, aimed at children aged six and under. It broadcasts programmes featuring a mix of live action and animation, mainly targeting a pre-school audience.
What is CBBC TV?
CBBC TV is a British television channel for children aged 6-12. It is owned and operated by the UK’s public service broadcaster, the BBC. The channel broadcasts a wide range of programmes, including comedy, drama, music, animation, and entertainment.
