BBC Radio 4 is the UK’s most popular talk station, home to marquee shows and podcasts such as Desert Island Discs and The Incredible Truth, Infinite Monkey Cage and In our time.
Its high status is why, when BBC management inexplicably blocked international access to BBC Sounds, an exception was made for Radio 4.
Is there a way to access BBC Radio 4 from the US, Australia and Canada? Or elsewhere? You can use one VPN – NordVPN works best – to unblock BBC Sounds and get the most out of Radio 4. Read on for all the details.
How to listen to BBC Radio 4
In the UK, BBC Radio 4 is available on digital radio, the BBC Sounds website, the BBC Sounds app (iOS/Android) and the BBC Radio 4 website. BBC Radio 4’s medium wave frequencies were switched off in April 2024.
You need a BBC account to tune in – sign up here.
If you miss your favorite programme, you can catch up via BBC Sounds, with the majority of programs available on-demand as podcasts.
In July 2025, international access to BBC Sounds was controversially closed. However, there are still ways to access Radio 4 from outside the UK.
Can I access BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds from abroad or on holiday?
Yes. Britons abroad can access BBC Radio 4 directly via the international BBC.com website and the BBC app (iOS / Android). However, both platforms are far inferior to BBC Sounds.
Although international access to BBC Sounds has been blocked worldwide, you may still be able to access it using a VPN such as NordVPN. It’s cheap, easy to use, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee. More below…
How to unblock BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds with a VPN
If you’re outside the UK at the moment and blocked from listening to BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds, you can still access the app thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
The software can make your devices look like they are back in your home country, no matter where you are in the world. Ideal for listeners away at work or on holiday who want a taste of home.
NordVPN is our favorite:
BBC Sound Troubleshooting Tips
If you still can’t access BBC Radio 4 via BBC Sounds, even using a VPN, there are a few more things you can try.
Make sure your BBC account is associated with a valid UK postcode, such as W1A 1AA.
The BBC Sounds app (iOS / Android) doesn’t appear in Google’s Play Store or Apple’s 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 have ranked the best iPlayer VPNs, something we have compiled through thorough testing, there is no guarantee that the same will be the case tomorrow if one of them works today, 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 4 outside the UK without BBC Sounds?
Yes. Listeners based outside the UK can access one limited selection of BBC audio programming via the BBC.com website and the BBC app (iOS / Android). And the good news is BBC Radio 4 is one of them!
Although you can listen via BBC.com and the BBC app without an account, you need to log in to download, follow or save programmes.
Visit the site linked above directly through a web browser and it will work. It’s a crude platform that doesn’t support key features available on BBC Sounds, such as the ability to set a radio station as your alarm, but it does carry BBC Radio 4.
One important thing to note, however, is that only a very limited selection of Radio 4 shows are available on-demand to international audiences via BBC.com and the BBC app.
What are the greatest BBC Radio 4 podcasts and shows?
Eight of the 10 most popular programs on BBC Sounds in July 2025 are Radio 4 properties.
These include The archers, Desert Island Discs and The Unbelievable Truth – none of which are available to international audiences on catch-up through BBC.com and the BBC app at the time of writing.
However, all three shows are on BBC Sounds as they are Thought for the day, You and yours, Women’s time, From our own correspondent and that Shipping forecast.
This means the only way to listen to them via BBC.com and the BBC app is live.
Only of Radio 4’s biggest properties What’s happening in Docs? and that Today programs are both available and up-to-date on BBC.com and the BBC app.
Infinite Monkey Cage and In our time are also available on-demand through BBC.com and the BBC app, but episodes are subject to a delay of around a month.
We test and review VPN services for legitimate recreational use. For example: 1. Accessing a Service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that Service). 2. Protecting your online security and enhancing your online privacy when you are abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid-for pirated content is neither endorsed nor endorsed by Future Publishing.
