How to Watch UK TV in Italy [Quick and Easy]

Unlock exclusive UK TV channels and shows with this easy trick!

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Are you trying to watch UK TV in Italy without any luck? I’ll help you out.

British channels likeย ITV, BBC, and Channel 4ย are free to stream online. However, they areย geo-restricted to the United Kingdomย due toย copyright and licensing agreements.

A VPN will let you bypass these blocks and watch UK channels effortlessly, no matter where you are. 

Let me show you how:

Quick Guide: How to watch UK TV in Italy with a VPN

Just follow these simple steps:

  1. Download and install a VPN.
    I recommend Private Internet Access due to its streaming-optimized servers in the UK.
  2. Connect to a server in the UK.
  3. Log in to your favorite British channel’s website.
  4. Enjoy watching your favorite shows from the UK.

How to watch UK TV in Italy

To access UK TV channels in Italy, you have to connect to a VPN server in the UK. Once you do that, you’ll bypass any geo-blocks, as streaming platforms will believe that you’re visiting them from within the country.

For the best results, I recommend that you:

Use Private Internet Access

I trust Private Internet Access for the task because it has streaming-optimized servers in the UK. Therefore, you can easily watch channels like BBC, ITV, or Channel 4.

Here’s how to get it up and running and unblock your favorite UK channels:

  1. Visit PIA’s website and choose a subscription plan.
Subscribe to PIA
  1. Download and install PIA on your device.
  1. Open the VPN and log in with your credentials.
PIA app login window
  1. Click on the arrow button next to servers.
PIA app home page
  1. Choose one of the UK servers. You can check their current speeds and pick the fastest one.
Private Internet Access UK servers
  1. Click on the power button symbol to connect to the server.
PIA VPN connected

7. Optional: Open your browser and clear the browsing data. Deleting the cache and cookies ensures that there’s no leftover data to expose your real location.

Clear cookies and cache in browser
  1. Visit your favorite UK channel‘s website.
  1. Log in or register for an account.
BBC iPlayer login page
  1. Enjoy watching your favorite shows.
BBC iPlayer working with PIA VPN

PIA is one of the top VPNs for streaming. It has fast servers in London, Southampton, and Manchester, so bypassing geo-blocks is a non-issue.

I’ll tell you more about it and give you some alternatives later on.

But first:

Why do you need a VPN to watch UK TV in Italy?

When you use a VPN, it redirects your internet traffic through one of its servers – in this case, the UK. Therefore, it will seem you’re accessing the internet from the country.

And as a result, British channels let you in, thinking that you’re visiting them from a supported region.

For instance, when I visit BBC iPlayer without a VPN, it shows me the following message. BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues. 

BBC iPlayer not working in Italy

But after connecting to a UK server through a VPN, I watched Boat Story on BBC iPlayer without issues. (It’s great!)

BBC iPlayer working with PIA VPN

Now, let me give you more detail on why I recommend PIA. And if you want some alternatives, I’ll give you some great ones too:

Best VPNs to Watch UK TV in Italy

To watch UK TV in Italy, you need a robust VPN service. A few points to consider are an easy-to-use interface, budget-friendly pricing, guaranteed security, and worldwide access to fast servers

So, I did the work and tested the leading providers based on these factors. Here are my top 5 picks with all the above-mentioned features:

1. Private Internet Access – best overall

pia uk servers

PIA is my go-to choice for streaming UK channels from anywhere in the world. 

It has over 35,000 servers across 84 countries. And more importantly, it has 3 locations in the United Kingdom – Manchester, London, and Southampton.

Meanwhile, the VPN gives you unlimited bandwidth on all subscription plans, ensuring you can watch your favorite UK channels without interruptions.

Additionally, you get robust military-grade encryption to keep your data safe, and the PIA MACE feature to block annoying ads and pop-ups.

Lastly, PIA offers unlimited device connections simultaneously. That means you can use the service on all of your devices with a single subscription plan.

โœ… Pros:

  • Unlimited bandwidth with 10 Gbps speed
  • 30,000+ servers located in 84 countries
  • Excellent customer support
  • Unlimited device connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

โŒ Cons:

  • Dedicated IP and Antivirus comes with extra cost
  • No free trial

Private Internet Access

Unblock your favorite UK TV channels and enjoy high-quality streaming with PIA.

2. ExpressVPN – fast and reliable

expressvpn uk

ExpressVPN is great for streaming British channels because of its multiple servers in the country.

The VPN provides over 3000 servers from 105 countries worldwide. You can choose a location from London, East London, Docklands, Midlands, and Wembley.

Therefore, getting a UK IP address and unblocking your favorite channels is seamless. 

With its 10 Gbps server speed, you can access channels like BBC iPlayer, ITVXAll 4My5, Sky Go, Now TV, and have a buffer-free experience.

It’s also worth noting that ExpressVPN lets you connect up to eight devices with one subscription plan.

The software is available for Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Linus, Gaming consoles, Smart TVs, and Routers.

โœ… Pros:

  • Fast internet speed
  • Compatibility with routers and streaming devices
  • 30-day money-back guarantee 
  • 24-hour live support
  • Zero log policy
  • AES 256-bit encryption

โŒ Cons:

  • Relatively expensive
  • Limited device connections

ExpressVPN

Blow past geo-restrictions and enjoy a buffer-free streaming experience with ExpressVPN.

3. NordVPN – large UK server network

nordvpn uk server

NordVPN comes with 5900+ servers located in over 60 countries. Out of them, 440+ are in the United Kingdom.

Specifically, you can access servers from Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, or Manchester.

Therefore, you get plenty of options for streaming UK TV in Italy without restrictions or buffering.

Furthermore, with this many server options, you can switch to a different location in case of slower speed or connectivity issues.

Additionally, NordVPN comes with a SmartPlay feature. The is specifically made to optimize your connection for streaming.

โœ… Pros:

  • Built-in smart DNS for fast streaming
  • No-logs policy
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • WireGuard protocol

โŒ Cons:

  • Only six simultaneous connections
  • The apps can be slow sometimes

NordVPN

Benefit from top-notch speed and security, and unlock UK channels hassle-free with NordVPN.

4. Surfshark – budget-friendly VPN for streaming

surfshark uk servers

Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPNs in the market to unblock UK channels in Italy.

It operates 3200+ servers worldwide out of which 212 are located in the United Kingdom. You can choose from London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.

In addition, Surfshark provides 10 Gbps internet speed and unlimited bandwidth. This means you can stream in UHD and 4k hitch-free.

Surfshark also comes with military-grade encryption to secure your internet traffic.  

On top of that, the software has a built-in adblocker that makes your browsing experience cleaner.

โœ… Pros:

  • 7-day free trial
  • Unlimited device connection
  • Most affordable with respect to features
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Multiple device compatibility

โŒ Cons:

  • Relatively slower server speed
  • Occasional issues with browser extension

Surfshark

Unblock your favorite UK channels without breaking the bank with this affordable yet effective VPN.

5. CyberGhost – streaming-optimized servers

cyberghost connected to uk

You should use CyberGhost for UK TV channels if you need a service with straightforward features.

It has over 9,000 servers across 100 countries worldwide, including 985 from Berkshire, London, and Manchester.

In addition, it has dedicated streaming-optimized servers for watching your favorite shows lag-free.

The VPN’s security is top-notch, with AES 254-bit encryption and a Smart DNS feature. In addition, it also provides a kill switch to protect your data if the connection drops. 

CyberGhost also offers the WireGuard protocol to maintain high speed for streaming, gaming, and heavier downloads. All that while ensuring your data safety.

The user-friendly application is available on all popular operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and even Smart TVs.

โœ… Pros:

  • Dedicated IP to bypass blocklists
  • No logs policy
  • Lighting fast servers for uninterrupted streaming
  • 45-day money-back guarantee
  • Supports multiple devices
  • Several free trial options are available

โŒ Cons:

  • Limited payment options

CyberGhost

Benefit from streaming-optimized servers and great unblocking capabilities with CyberGhost.

Which British channels can I stream online?

Here is a list of British channels and streaming services you can access with a VPN. I’ve also included a few exclusive shows you might like. 

  • BBC iPlayer (Free) – The Night Manager, His Dark Materials, Killing Eve, Shetland
  • ITVX (Free and paid – White House Farm, Karen Pirie, The Tower, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe
  • Channel 4 (Free and Paid) – Before We Die, Hullraisers, Top Boy, The Curse
  • Channel 5 (Free) – All Creatures Great and Small, The Drowning, Murder in the First

With a VPN, you can easily access all of these UK TV channels (and more) from Italy.

Furthermore, if you have a video-on-demand service like Netflix or Disney+, with a VPN you can explore its international libraries. This means you can access exclusive shows that are only available in the UK.

Using a VPN is legal in both the UK and Italy, so you won’t face any legal consequences if you use it to unblock foreign TV.

However, this practice may breach the streaming service’s terms of use. This means you risk a restriction or a ban.

Therefore, make sure you check out the service’s regulations before using VPNs. Additionally, opt for a tool that’s strong enough to remain under the radar.

Summary

You can watch UK TV from Italy in a few simple steps. In a nutshell, you have to get a reliable VPN, connect to a UK server, and start streaming.

More about the topics: British TV, Geoblocking, Italy, UK TV, Unblock, Watch