Looking to access BBC Radio 5 Live – the Beeb’s free-to-air breaking news and sport station – from outside the UK? You can use a VPN – NordVPN works best – to unblock 5 Live via BBC Sounds and listen as normal, despite the international ban on the latter.
Why would you want to? Well, where do you start? 5 Live is the home of UK radio debate and covers the latest breaking news and sport, plus interviews and phone-ins. Launched in March 1994, 5 Live now boasts 5.5 million weekly listeners, while its sport-focused sister station 5 Sports Extra has 1.4m listeners and recently grew its share by 68% thanks to its Test Match Special cricket commentary.
Its daytime output – from 5 Live Breakfast with Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, to the Nicky Campbell phone-in and 5 Live Drive with Clare McDonnell and Chris Warburton – keeps listeners up to date with the latest news. In the evenings and weekend daytimes, sport tends to rule with 5 Live Sport.
How to listen to BBC Radio 5 Live
To access 5 Live’s stellar output, you have a range of different options. A medium-wave radio (tuned to 909 or 693) or digital radio are, of course, possibilities, but if you don’t have one, BBC Sounds website, the BBC Sounds app (iOS/Android) and the BBC Radio 5 Live website are also available.
To listen, you will need a BBC account — register here.
And if you miss your favorite show, don’t worry. You can listen again via BBC Sounds, with the majority of shows also available as podcasts either in full or, like the Test Match Special Podcast, a slimmed down version. Some, like the aforementioned Elis and John and You About? are podcast-first programs that are later broadcast on 5 Live.
Remember, though, that back in July 2025, international access to BBC Sounds was shut down. Though the decision was met with disbelief, there are still ways to access the platform if you’re abroad. Read on to find out how.
Can I access BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds from abroad or on holiday?
Yes. UK residents looking to listen to BBC Radio 5 Live while traveling abroad can still access the BBC Sounds app via a VPN. We recommend NordVPN, which comes with 75% off and 3 months extra free…
How to unblock BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds with a VPN
If you’re outside the UK at the moment and blocked from using BBC Sounds, you can still access the app thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
The software allows your devices to appear as if they’re back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for listeners away for work or on vacation wanting a taste of home.
NordVPN is our favorite:
BBC Sounds Troubleshooting Tips
If you still can’t access BBC Radio 5 Live via BBC Sounds, even with the aid of a VPN, there are a few more things you can try.
Make sure your BBC account is associated with a valid UK post code, such as W1A 1AA.
The BBC Sounds app (iOS / Android) won’t appear in the Play Store or the App Store outside the UK, but you may be able to get around that by changing your phone’s region in the settings menu.
The BBC, like most broadcasters and networks, is engaged in a never-ending cat-and-mouse battle with VPN providers.
Although we’ve ranked the best iPlayer VPNs, something we’ve worked out through thorough testing, if one of them works today there’s no guarantee the same will be true tomorrow, in which case you can raise the issue with your VPN provider’s customer support team, and ask them to recommend the best server to connect to.
Can I listen to BBC Radio 5 Live from outside the UK without BBC Sounds?
You absolutely can. Listeners based outside the UK can now access a limited selection of BBC audio programming via the BBC.com website and the BBC app (iOS / Android). And the good news is BBC Radio 5 Live is one of them!
Although you can listen via BBC.com and the BBC app without an account, you have to sign in if you want to download, follow and save shows.
Visit the website linked above directly through a web browser and it works. It’s a crude workaround, and doesn’t include key features available on BBC Sounds, but you can listen the BBC Radio 5 Live.
Furthermore, only select radio content will be made available on-demand through the BBC Radio 5 Live website – owing to sports rights issues, many live commentaries aren’t available. As a result, 5 Sports Extra is not available via BBC.com.
What are the top-rated shows on BBC Radio 5 Live?
As the UK’s biggest news and sport radio station, with 5.4 million listeners, BBC Radio 5 Live has recently surged in popularity. On average, listeners tune in for six hours a week.
Its daytime output follows a set formula of news features, interviews, discussion and phone-ins. 5 Live Breakfast with Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards sticks to the news, going in-depth on the biggest stories and a few quirky one, too. Nicky Campbell‘s phone-in follows, giving listeners their say on the day’s topics, with Naga Munchetty next up and a mixture of interviews and news features.
Matt Chorley hosts a politics show that includes both interviews of politicians and lighter-hearted features to take a sideways look at events. 5 Live Drive with Clare McDonnell and Chris Warburton follows a similar pattern to the Breakfast show.
In the evenings and weekend daytimes, sport tends to rule with 5 Live Sport with commentaries of Premier League and Champions League football, rugby union, tennis and Formula 1 depending on the timetable. Up for discussion, though, is anything sport-related that happens around the world, no matter how niche, if it’s entertaining and interesting enough. Tony Livesey hosts the late-night show, bringing a sideways take at the day’s events.
There are plenty of podcast-first programs that air on 5 Live, and we’ll deal with those in a later section.
What sport is available on BBC Radio 5 Live?
More or less anything that you can imagine.
There are live football commentaries from the Premier League, Championship, Champions League, Europa League, international football (including the World Cup), the WSL, plus coverage of Wimbledon tennis, golf majors and Ryder Cupo, rugby union Six Nations and Autumn Internationals and elite boxing coverage.
Cricket commentary is available via Test Match Special, including the Ashes 2025/26, albeit via sport-focused sister station 5 Live Sports Extra. The listenership for the station grew by more than half a million in the quarter to October 2025.
Be aware, though, that certain rights restrictions mean it is not always possible to listen to a live broadcaster from abroad. It really does vary on the sport, and even the event, so check before you try to tune in.
What are the best BBC Radio 5 Live podcasts?
As we’ve mentioned, 5 Live broadcasts plenty of its own podcast content, too.
The most-listened-to show among the under-35 age group on BBC Sounds is a 5 Live staple. Elis James and John Robins features the comedians playing made-up games, finding acquaintances with Welsh folk and generally pratting about. There are podcast releases every Tuesday and Friday, plus a bonus extra exclusive to BBC Sounds. It has value.
You About? has best friends award-winning singer Tom Grennan and One Show presenter Roman Kemp – the self-confessed nepo-baby son of Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp – shooting the breeze, laughing and having genuinely moving heart-to-hearts.
If football is your thing, there’s The Wayne Rooney Show in which the legendary former Everton, Manchester United and England forward is joined by Kelly Somers & Kae Kurd to discuss the latest stories and his own stellar career; The Monday Night Club with Mark Chapman and guests including ex-pro Chris Sutton and journalist Rory Smith to dissect the Premier League weekend; and Women’s Football Weekly as Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie go through the WSL, with a healthy dose of Lionesses chat.
For those who prefer an oval ball to a round one, Rugby Union Weekly is for you. A combination Chris Jones, Ugo Monye, Danny Care and Chris Ashton bring the latest news and plenty of banter, too.
5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce is a must-listen for lovers of the sweet science as the journalist runs down the latest fights with the help of retired pros (including former world champions Barry Jones, Carl Frampton and more), as well as some nostalgia look backs.
While The Ashes are on, there’s also the Test Match Special Podcast that recaps each day’s play while there’s a Test on, and brings all the latest news, quizzes and fun from Australia while the tour continues.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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