BBC Radio 4 is the UK’s most popular talk station, offering top shows and podcasts like Desert Island Discs And The incredible truth, Infinite Monkey Cage And In our time.
Its high reputation 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 USA, Australia and Canada? Or elsewhere? You can use a VPN – NordVPN works better – to unblock BBC Sounds and get the most out of Radio 4. Keep reading for all the details.
How to listen to BBC Radio 4
In the United Kingdom, 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 midwave frequencies were deactivated in April 2024.
You’ll need a BBC account to log in – sign up here.
If you miss your favorite show, you can catch up on it via BBC Sounds, with the majority of shows 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. Brits abroad can access BBC Radio 4 directly via the BBC.com international 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 will still be able to access it using a VPN, like 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 currently outside the UK and can’t listen to BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds, you can still access the app through the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
The software can make your devices appear to be in your home country, regardless of where you are in the world. Ideal for listeners traveling for work or on vacation wanting a taste of home.
NordVPN is our favorite:
BBC Sounds Troubleshooting Tips
If you always You can’t access BBC Radio 4 through BBC Sounds, even with the help of a VPN, there are a few other things you can try.
Make sure your BBC account is linked to a valid UK postcode, such as W1A 1AA.
The BBC Sounds app (iOS/Android) does not appear in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store outside the UK, but you may be able to work around this 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, which we have developed through extensive testing, if one of them works today, there is no guarantee that it will work the same 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 4 from outside the UK without BBC Sounds?
Yes. Listeners based outside the UK can 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 4 is one of them!
Although you can listen via BBC.com and the BBC app without an account, you must log in if you want to download, follow or record shows.
Visit the website linked above directly through a web browser and it works. It’s a rudimentary platform that doesn’t support key features available on BBC Sounds, like the ability to set a radio station as your alarm, but it does offer BBC Radio 4.
However, one important thing to note 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 biggest podcasts and shows on BBC Radio 4?
Eight of the 10 most popular shows on BBC Sounds, as of July 2025, are Radio 4 properties.
These include The archers, Desert Island Discs And The incredible truth – none of which are available to international audiences on catch-up via BBC.com and the BBC app at the time of writing.
However, all three shows are on BBC Sounds, as are Thought of the day, You and yours, woman’s hour, From our own correspondent and the Shipping Forecast.
This means the only way to listen to them via BBC.com and the BBC app is live.
Among Radio 4’s biggest properties, only What’s up, Docs? and the 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 via BBC.com and the BBC app, but episodes are subject to a delay of around a month.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid pirated content is not endorsed or endorsed by Future Publishing.
