“The BBC is the home of dance,” says the PR blurb around their latest Simon Cowell reality TV show, The Greatest Dancer. And if you are suffering withdrawal symptoms now that Strictly Come Dancing is over for another year, then they might just have a point.
This new show aims to uncover the UK’s best dancers in every style: Bollywood, ballet, jazz, jive, tap, tango and so on. With an enviable panel of experts and an eight-week prime time slot, it is the perfect show for dancing enthusiasts.
But if you are outside the UK, you won’t be able to stream the Greatest Dancer. Unless you use a VPN that is and, in this article, we will tell you everything you need to know so you don’t have to miss a single episode.
What you need to watch
All BBC shows are streamed live and on-demand through their online streaming service, the BBC iPlayer. But this service is not available to anyone outside the UK and so you’ll be blocked if you try to watch from abroad.
That means if you want to stream shows like the Greatest Dancer on the iPlayer, you will need a VPN. A VPN is an online security and privacy tool which reroutes all of your data down a secure tunnel and through a computer known as a ‘server’ located somewhere else.
When it passes through this server, it is tagged with the server’s IP Address. This IP Address tells sites where you are located and is what the iPlayer uses to figure out where you are signing in from.
If you reroute your data through a server in the UK, the iPlayer will think you are in the UK and so let you stream content.
The BBC does block some VPN apps but there are several that can still unblock the BBC iPlayer. The best is ExpressVPN, which offers the combination of fast connections and strong security you need.
If you want to consider a few alternative providers, here is a rundown of our top three recommendations:
- ExpressVPN – our top recommendation
- NordVPN
- CyberGhost
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How to watch The Greatest Dancer
If you are worried that using a VPN to stream the Greatest Dancer sounds difficult, relax. It is really easy to get things set up.
To put your mind at ease, we have compiled a straightforward step-by-step guide for you to follow using ExpressVPN as our example:
- Sign up for ExpressVPN by clicking on a link and then following the simple onscreen instructions.
- Download their app onto the device you want to watch the Greatest Dancer on.
- Open the ExpressVPN app and activate it or login using the details you used when signing up in Step 1.
- Press ‘Selected Location‘ (1) and then ‘United Kingdom‘ (2).
- Then press ‘Connect‘ (3).
It should only take a few seconds for ExpressVPN to connect. Once it has, visit the BBC iPlayer website and you will be able to stream The Greatest Dancer at your convenience.
You can watch either live or if that’s not a suitable time for you then you can watch it on the catch-up service.
If you do find it isn’t working, just try a different UK-based server. You shouldn’t have to try more than a couple before one that works.
When is The Greatest Dancer shown?
The Greatest Dancer is being broadcast on BBC 1 on Saturday evenings at 8pm (GMT) for the next eight weeks.
If you are planning to stream the show on the iPlayer it will be available to view live. You can also watch it on-demand after it has been broadcast too.
The BBC usually uploads shows around half an hour after their broadcast has finished, so after that, you can enjoy The Greatest Dancer at your leisure.
The show looks to be well worth making the effort for. With a panel of experts including ‘Cheryl’, Broadway and Glee star Matthew Morrison, and Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse, viewers can look forward to plenty of entertaining insight as well as some stellar performances.
Can I watch on my mobile, tablet, Fire TV etc?
Absolutely. The BBC iPlayer app is available to download onto a whole host of different devices. This includes almost all smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs, and other streaming devices too. They even have apps for the Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick too.
The same is true of most premium VPN providers as well. ExpressVPN has dedicated apps for all mobile devices and most other devices, including Amazon Fire TV devices, too. If you can’t find an app, there should be a step-to-step guide to help you set things up manually.
Once you have downloaded their app, just connect to your VPN in the same way we have outlined above. Then just open the BBC iPlayer app and enjoy the show.
Summary
If you want to watch The Greatest Dancer abroad, you can without any trouble at all. All you will need is a VPN app and access to the BBC iPlayer.
We recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN to stream the Greatest Dancer overseas. In this article, we have explained why as well as given you a step-by-step guide on how to set things up.
All you need to do is sign up with ExpressVPN, connect to a UK-based server, then open the BBC iPlayer as usual. With that, you are ready to enjoy what promises to be the BBC’s newest dance phenomenon.
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