Notice: Starting from spring 2025, there will be changes to how you can listen to BBC radio if you live outside the UK. For more details, please visit our help page: Upcoming changes for listening to BBC audio outside the UK
If you live in the UK, you will still be able to use the BBC Sounds app when on holiday outside the UK.
You can listen to most of our live and on-demand radio content from anywhere in the world.
Why can't I listen to certain programmes outside the UK?
For rights reasons, we might not be able to make certain content available outside of the UK. For example:
- certain sports coverage
- some music content (particularly classical music or live concerts)
When we restrict a live radio stream outside the UK, you’ll hear “This content is unavailable due to technical or rights reasons.” If an on-demand programme is restricted, you'll see a "Sorry, this content can only be played in the UK" message on the app and a “Not available” message on the website.
If you're in the UK but you're seeing or hearing a message telling you that certain content isn't available, check our Why do you think I'm outside the UK? page for more advice.
Can I download programmes or podcasts while I'm outside the UK?
You can download most of our podcasts (depending on rights) from the BBC Sounds app or website from outside of the UK. Find out how:
For rights reasons, you can't download radio programmes (that haven't been made into podcasts) from outside the UK.