If you want to stream anything that airs on ITV’s channels, so that includes ITV1, ITV2 and ITVBe, then you’ll need an account with ITVX. This was formally known as the ITV Hub. This service lets you watch content live or on-demand.
That makes it the go-to spot to watch the likes of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! It’s also the home for gripping detective dramas and all the family favourite films, and other classic reality hits such as Love Island.
But there’s one big downside: it’s only available in the UK, which means you can’t watch anything on ITVX if you live outside of the UK, or even if you’re just visiting somewhere else on holiday.
Fortunately, there is a way around this, and it’s possible to watch ITVX from abroad easily enough, whether that’s on your PC, Mac, TV, iPhone or Android device.
Watch ITVX abroad with a VPN
If you want to watch ITVX outside of the UK, the best thing to do is to get hold of a VPN.
VPN stands for ‘virtual private network’, and they let you browse the internet as if you were based in another country. Essentially it means that even if you’re outside of the UK, the ITVX website or app will think you’re in Britain if you’re using one.
There are countless VPNs on the market, but we’ve tested plenty to know which is best. NordVPN and SurfShark are our most recommended thanks to their speed, reliability and ease of use, but we have a full ranking of the best VPNs for streaming if you want more options.
Once you’ve subscribed to and installed your VPN of choice on the device you want to use to access ITVX, here’s what you need to do:
- Time to complete: 5 minutes
- Tools required: Laptop or phone
Find a server
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Open your VPN on your phone, laptop, or other device, and choose a server based in the UK.
Launch ITVX
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Go to the ITVX website or app on the same device – it should treat you as if you were in the UK.
If for some reason it doesn’t work, try switching to a different UK server on your VPN – streaming platforms like ITVX try to block known VPN IP addresses, so you might need to try a couple of different servers before you find one that works.
It’s also worth noting that if you have an ad blocker on, ITVX might block that – and since some VPNs have built-in ad-blocking, you might need to turn off that part of the software.
Sign in
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
If you haven’t done so already, make sure you sign up for an ITVX account to watch. You’ll need to put in a valid email address, date of birth and a UK postcode. Then you should be able to sign in as normal.
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor's Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She's also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she's written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.