Want to access BBC Radio 5 Live – the Beeb’s free-to-air news and sports station – from outside the UK? You can use one VPN – NordVPN works best – to unblock 5 Live via BBC Sounds and listen as normal, despite the international ban on the latter.
Why do you want that? Well, where do you start? 5 Live is the home of British radio debate, covering the latest news and sport as well as interviews and phone-ins. Launched in March 1994, 5 Live now boasts 5.5 million weekly listeners, while its sports-focused sister station 5 Sports Extra has 1.4 million listeners and recently grew its share by 68% thanks to its Test Match Special cricket commentary.
Its day output – from 5 Live breakfast with Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, for the Nicky Campbell phone and 5 Live Drive with Clare McDonnell and Chris Warburton – keeping listeners up to date with the latest news. In the evenings and at weekends, daytime sports tend to rule 5 Live Sports.
How to listen to BBC Radio 5 Live
To access 5 Live’s excellent output, you have a number of different options. A medium wave radio (tuned to 909 or 693) or digital radio are of course options, but if you don’t have one, the BBC Sounds website, the BBC Sounds app (iOS/Android) and the BBC Radio 5 Live website are also available.
To listen you need a BBC account – sign up here.
And if you miss your favorite show, don’t worry. You can listen again via BBC Sounds, where most programs are also available as podcasts either in full or as Test Match Special Podcasta slimmed down version. Some, like the aforementioned Elise and John and you about? are podcast-first programs that are later broadcast on 5 Live.
However, remember that back in July 2025, international access to BBC Sounds was shut down. While the decision was met with disbelief, there are still ways to access the platform if you’re overseas. Read on to find out how.
Can I access BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds from abroad or on holiday?
Yes. UK residents who want 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 a 75% discount and 3 months extra free…
How to unblock BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds with a VPN
If you’re currently outside the UK 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 look like they are back in your home country, no matter where you are in the world. So 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 5 Live 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 on the Play Store or App Store outside of 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 5 Live outside the UK without BBC Sounds?
You absolutely can. Listeners based outside the UK can now 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 5 Live 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 and save programmes.
Visit the site linked above directly through a web browser and it will work. It’s a rough solution and doesn’t include key features available on BBC Sounds, but you can listen to BBC Radio 5 Live.
In addition, only selected radio content will be made available on-demand via the BBC Radio 5 Live website – due to sports rights, many live commentaries are not available. As a result, 5 Sports Extra is not available via BBC.com.
What are the top rated programs on BBC Radio 5 Live?
As the UK’s largest news and sports radio station with 5.4 million listeners, BBC Radio 5 Live has recently grown in popularity. On average, listeners listen to six hours a week.
Its daytime output follows a fixed formula of news features, interviews, discussion and phone-in. 5 Live breakfast with Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards sticks to the news, goes in-depth with the biggest stories and a few quirky ones too. Nicky Campbell‘s phone-in follows, listeners give their opinion on the day’s topics, with Naga Munchetty next time and a mix of interviews and news features.
Matt Chorley hosts a political show that includes both interviews of politicians and slightly elevated features to take a sideways look at events. 5 Live Drive with Clare McDonnell and Chris Warburton follows a similar pattern as Breakfast show.
In the evenings and at weekends, daytime sports tend to rule 5 Live Sports with commentary on Premier League and Champions League football, rugby union, tennis and Formula 1 depending on the schedule. For discussion, anything sports related that happens around the world, no matter how niche, is if it’s entertaining and interesting enough. Tony Livesey hosts the late night show that brings a sideways view of the day’s events.
There are plenty of podcast-first shows airing on 5 Live, and we’ll cover those in a later section.
What sport is available on BBC Radio 5 Live?
Pretty much anything you can imagine.
There is live football commentary from the Premier League, Championship, Champions League, Europa League, international football (including the World Cup), WSL, plus coverage of Wimbledon tennis, golf majors and the Ryder Cup, rugby union Six Nations and Autumn Internationals and elite boxing.
Cricket commentary is available via Test Match Specialincluding Ashes 2025/26, albeit via sports-focused sister station 5 Live Sports Extra. Listeners for the station grew by more than half a million in the quarter to October 2025.
However, be aware that certain rights restrictions mean that it is not always possible to listen to a live broadcaster from abroad. It really varies depending on the sport and even the event, so check before trying to tune in.
What are the best BBC Radio 5 Live podcasts?
As we’ve mentioned, 5 Live also broadcasts plenty of its own podcast content.
The most listened to show among the under 35 age group on BBC Sounds is a 5 Live product. Elis James and John Robins features the comedians playing make-believe games, meeting Welsh people and generally talking 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 – shoots the breeze, laughs and has truly moving heart-to-hearts.
If football is your thing, there is The Wayne Rooney Show where the legendary former Everton, Manchester United and England striker is joined by Kelly Somers & Kae Kurd to discuss the latest stories and his own stellar career; 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 while Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie go through the WSL with a healthy dose of lioness 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 also bring the latest news and plenty of banter.
5 Live boxing with Steve Bunce is a must for lovers of the sweet science, as the journalist runs the latest fights with the help of retired pros (including former world champions Barry Jones, Carl Frampton and more), as well as some nostalgia flashbacks.
While The Ashes is on, so is Test Match Special Podcast that summarizes each day’s games while a Test is underway and brings all the latest news, quizzes and fun from Australia as the tour continues.
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.
