Red Nose Day/Comic Relief is an annual charity event in the UK that has already aired some of pop culture’s most iconic sketches, and this year’s show is just around the corner.
Whovians should keep an eye out, as David Tennant will be presenting this year’s acts. Advertisements for the show have revealed him in costume as the Fourteenth Doctor – and if previous Comic Relief shows go through, there could be the possible return of a Doctor Who minisode.
As well as wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff, there’s also a French and Saunders version of TV hit The Traitors, a Ghosts special with pop sensation Kylie Minogue, a skit about a new bombshell on Love Island, a series of ” Eurovision auditions” with the sarcastic Graham Norton and much more.
Watching Red Nose Day in the UK is simple – but if you’re overseas when it airs, things get trickier. Fortunately, there is a workaround. We also have a similar article for watching the CW series Gotham Knights from the UK.
When is Red Nose Day 2023?
Comic Relief is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 17, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. GMT. AJ Odudu, Joel Dommett, Zoe Ball and Paddy McGuinness join David Tennant to present the tasks
If you’re in the UK, you can watch it live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer – the show will also be available on demand on iPlayer after it airs.
If you’re based overseas, there’s still a way to access BBC iPlayer.
How to watch Red Nose Day 2023 from the US and abroad
To watch Comic Relief from abroad, you’ll need a VPN – an app that routes your internet connection through a server somewhere on the internet before it goes to the website or service you want to use.
Using a VPN means your real location is hidden from the BBC, which means you can access the iPlayer website and it won’t recognize that you’re trying to stream from a country that isn’t the United Kingdom.
Not all VPNs successfully unblock iPlayer, but we found NordVPN to be consistently reliable. On top of that, it comes with a wide range of servers and affordable prices if you go for a multi-year plan. You can also check out our list of the best VPNs for iPlayer.
Note that the BBC requires anyone using iPlayer to hold a UK TV license. When you sign up for a free BBC account, you must provide your date of birth, gender and email address, along with a valid UK postcode.
The BBC says it can use accounts to find iPlayer users who haven’t paid for a TV license, but has admitted it will cross-reference email addresses with people who have previously claimed not to have need a license.
If you live in the UK and have license fees paid, simply log into your BBC account and use a VPN service as described above. However, it should be noted that you are breaking the BBC’s terms and conditions by using a VPN.
If you don’t want to bother getting a VPN, some sketches will likely be available on YouTube after the show airs. Otherwise, here’s how to watch iPlayer from abroad to stream Comic Relief:
- Time to complete: 5 minutes
- Tools needed: Laptop/PC, VPN
Sign up for NordVPN
Jim Martin / Foundry
By default, the Full plan is selected, but if you only need the VPN, click Get Standard. At the top, choose between a two-year, one-year, and one-month plan.
Follow the instructions to create your account and pay.
Install the NordVPN app
Jim Martin / Foundry
If you are using a phone or tablet, just go to its app store and search for NordVPN, then install it.
If you’re on Windows, sign in to your NordVPN account in a web browser, go to the Downloads section, and click Download App next to Get NordVPN for Windows. Run the downloaded file to install it.
Launch NordVPN
Jim Martin / Foundry
Launch the app and log in using the email address and password you entered when creating an account with NordVPN. On Windows you should see a screen like this, but other applications are very similar.
Use the list of locations (the word icon in the top left) or scroll the map to the UK and tap Connect to London. If prompted, allow NordVPN to set up a VPN connection. You may need to enter your Windows password or, on a mobile device, your passcode.
Wait for the VPN to be connected
Jim Martin / Foundry
You should see a message telling you that the VPN is connected. You can see it with the green CONNECTED and a padlock above the UK.
Open iPlayer
Jim Martin / Foundry
Log in with your BBC account (create one if you don’t have one) and you should be able to stream Comic Relief. This should work fine as the VPN makes it look like you are in the UK.
Table of Contents
