If you’ve been using NordVPN to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK and it’s stopped working, the BBC has been able to identify the IP address NordVPN has given you and block it.
This is happening because the measures NordVPN has in place to get around the BBC’s VPN blocking techniques are no longer working.
This can be frustrating, especially if you’re trying to watch your favourite BBC shows outside the UK and it’s not working.
Fortunately, there are a number of fixes you can try to resolve NordVPN not working with BBC iPlayer.
Read on to find out what you can do when your VPN isn’t working with BBC iPlayer.
See also:
- BBC iPlayer not working with VPN (Updated August 2021): Here’s how I FIXED that!
- NordVPN not working with ITV Hub? This is how I FIXED that! (June 2023)
NordVPN not working with BBC iPlayer: Fixes
Delete Cookies
A good place to start when trying to fix NordVPN not working with BBC iPlayer is deleting your Cookies.
Cookies are small files used by your device to streamline your online experience. While they’re not malicious files, they can
interfere with NordVPN.In order for the Cookies to enhance your online activity, they contain information about your physical location.
BBC iPlayer can potentially access this information, and if it’s different to the location you’re using with NordVPN, the BBC will know you’re using a VPN and will block the connection.
Try deleting your Cookies to remedy this.
Change to a different UK server
If NordVPN has suddenly stopped working with BBC iPlayer, it may be because the IP address you’ve been given has been identified and blocked by the BBC.
Changing to a different UK server will give you a different IP address, and if that one hasn’t been blocked, NordVPN will work again.
Change to a different protocol
NordVPN supports multiple protocols. These are the rules that determine how data is transferred through Nord’s servers.
Some of these protocols are faster than others, and some are more secure, but they all work differently.
NordVPN might have stopped working because the protocol you’re using is no longer compatible with BBC iPlayer.
Try changing to a different protocol to see if that fixes the problem. We recommend, NordLynx.
Upgrade to a VPN that works reliably with BBC iPlayer
If the above fixes haven’t resolved the issue, then the BBC has managed to identify all of NordVPN’s IP addresses and blocked them.
This has happened because NordVPN’s measures to ensure it works reliably with BBC iPlayer are no longer working.
To get around this, you need to upgrade to a VPN that has measures that are working. We recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month).
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) is an incredibly reliable VPN with servers all around the world. It’s fast, and most importantly, it works reliably with BBC iPlayer.
If the BBC blocks an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month), the VPN will close that IP and open a new one. This will give you fresh IP that hasn’t been blocked by the BBC and will allow you to watch iPlayer reliably anywhere in the world.
Why isn’t NordVPN working with BBC iPlayer?
The reason NordVPN isn’t working with BBC iPlayer is because the streaming service has blocked all the IP addresses NordVPN can provide.
It does this to protect itself from potential licensing disputes that may arise when someone connects to iPlayer using an IP address provided by NordVPN.
Because NordVPN allows customers to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK, the BBC tries to block it. It does this because the BBC only has the rights to broadcast its content in the UK. Using a VPN to watch it outside the UK could result in a breach of content licensing agreements, in which case the BBC would face severe fines.
Obviously, the BBC doesn’t want this, so it tries to block VPNs from accessing its service.
Usually, NordVPN works reliably with BBC iPlayer however, if it has stopped working, the BBC has managed to block all of NordVPN’s IP addresses, which is why it isn’t working.
How does the BBC block NordVPN?
The BBC blocks NordVPN using three main techniques:
- The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than the number of IP addresses they can provide; this means that customers can use the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When the BBC see hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN, and it blocks it.
- The BBC monitor for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off you are using a VPN.
- The BBC team up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, the BBC will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from, and it will block you.
NordVPN is no longer working with BBC iPlayer because it isn’t able to get around these blocking techniques.
Does BBC iPlayer still work with VPNs?
Yes, it does. However, you need to use a VPN that has measures in place to get around the blocks the BBC uses listed above.
This means you need a VPN with fast UK-based servers that provides a secure, anonymous connection and, most importantly, has measures in place to stay ahead of the BBC.
A VPN we’ve used reliably with BBC iPlayer in New Zealand is ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) is incredibly fast and secure, using its own lightweight protocol called Lightway.
It also has effective measures in place to stay ahead of the BBC’s VPN blocking techniques. Although unlikely, if an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) gets identified and blocked by the BBC, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) will close that IP address and open a new one.
This will allow you to watch BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world without running into the same issues you’re coming across with NordVPN.
Disclaimer: Streaming services are getting better and better at identifying and blocking IP addresses provided by VPNs. The best practice for being able to watch BBC iPlayer reliably is to have multiple VPNs. Even the best VPNs get blocked by BBC iPlayer from time to time. Subscribing to two VPNs will ensure that you can continue to watch BBC iPlayer while the other VPN fixes the issues on its end if needed.
The best VPNs to watch BBC iPlayer
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2022
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
Special Offer for you
(30-day money-back guarantee)
2. Private Internet Access 🥈
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
4. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
