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Quick Guide: Watch Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials Free Online
  • The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary will consist of three hour-long episodes on November 25December 2, and December 9.
  • The specials will feature fan-favorite cast members David Tennant and Catherine Tate, and introduce the 15th Doctor.
  • Fans can watch every episode for free by tuning into BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom, while Disney+ will stream the episodes internationally on the same dates.

The 2023 holiday season is going to be huge for fans of Doctor Who! If you’re not in the UK and don’t have a Disney+ subscription, you can still watch Doctor Who 60th Anniversary for free online. We’ve tested it, and it works!

Here’s how:

  1. Get NordVPN. Right now, you’ll get a special 75% Black Friday discount – just in time for the specials!
  2. Connect to a UK VPN server to change your IP address.
  3. Tune into BBC iPlayer and create a free account.

Now, you’re ready to witness how Donna Noble and the Doctor cross paths again after so many years!

Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to get started with NordVPN, as well as more information about the plot, directly from the show’s creator and the BBC!

Movie clap and red box of popcorns icon

Looking for a way to stream the Doctor Who anniversary episodes online? Disney+ will be showing every episode as it lands, on November 25, December 2, and December 9. Existing subscribers can tune in, but people without a Disney account will have to sign up.

Alternatively, you can watch the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who entirely for free with BBC iPlayer in the UK. Residents of the UK can tune in on the same dates to watch Doctor Who for free. BBC iPlayer doesn’t require any subscription – but it’s blocked outside of the United Kingdom.

Based in another country and don’t want to fork out for yet another subscription? Simply download NordVPN and connect to a UK VPN server. You’ll be able to watch Episode 1: The Star Beast for free when it releases on November 25, as well as the other two anniversary episodes!

Time-limited NordVPN promotion: Get 75% off now!

Where Can I Watch Doctor Who Anniversary Episodes for Free?

You can watch the Doctor Who anniversary specials for free on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom, as soon as they release. It’s a free streaming service that anyone can use.

Bear in mind that, if you’re outside the UK, BBC iPlayer will block your access. Luckily, that’s easy to fix with a VPN that can bypass these blocks. Get NordVPN to tune in from America, Europe, or anywhere else. We’ve got a special 75% Black Friday NordVPN discount for you that is timed so perfectly, it almost feels like the TARDIS was involved.

The best thing? If you want to watch the 60th Anniversary completely for free, you can! Simply cancel within 30 days, and Nord will give you a full refund.

How to Watch Doctor Who Anniversary Specials From Anywhere With a VPN: A Step-by-Step Guide

Get ready to catch each anniversary episode on BBC iPlayer for free! Here’s your guide to accessing BBC iPlayer outside the UK:

  1. Get NordVPN. You’ll need a top VPN like NordVPN to get past those pesky geographical restrictions. It’ll change your IP address to a UK IP address and give you access to the BBC’s streaming service.

    Get 75% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free

  2. Install NordVPN onto your streaming device. Whether you want to watch the Doctor on a smart TV, computer, phone, or even router, you’re set. NordVPN supports pretty much any device you can think of.

    Screenshot of NordVPN, device availability
  3. Log into your NordVPN account using your new credentials.

    Nord Account Log in screen
  4. Connect to a VPN server in the United Kingdom. This’ll make it seem as if you’re based in the UK.

    Screenshot of BBC iPlayer with NordVPN connected to UK server
  5. Go to BBC iPlayer.
  6. Create a free account using your email address. You’ll also need a UK postcode, which you can borrow from Google.

Now, you’re ready to tune in this Saturday, November 25, 2023, to watch The Star Beast, the first of three Doctor Who anniversary episodes. You can also catch the other two episodes completely for free or check out BBC iPlayer’s other great programming! All you need is your VPN.

Need some more help? Our full guide to watching BBC iPlayer from everywhere will tell you everything you need to know.

Of course, it’s not just the 60th Anniversary specials that will be playing on BBC iPlayer. You can watch all available episodes of this long-running series there, any time you like! Check out our full article on how to watch Doctor Who episodes outside the UK to learn more.

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Date and Schedule

The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary celebration features three episodes. Each one is scheduled to last approximately an hour. Here’s what we know about their titles and the release schedule.

EpisodeTitleRelease DateWatch On
1The Star BeastNovember 25, 2023BBC iPlayer or Disney+
2Wild Blue YonderDecember 2, 2023BBC iPlayer or Disney+
3The GiggleDecember 9, 2023BBC iPlayer or Disney+

But there’s more! We’re excited not only for the anniversary event but also for the 15th Doctor to appear on our screens. Ncuti Gatwa will be flying the TARDIS across the 2023/2024 holiday season, so we already have more Doctor Who content to look forward to after this much-anticipated anniversary special!

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Cast

The 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who sees fan-favorite Doctor David Tennant return to our screens – albeit this time as the 14th Doctor rather than the 10th. We’re also thrilled to see the return of Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, though we’ll have to wait to find out how she can safely communicate with the Doctor again after the tragic events back in Series 4.

We’ve scoured the internet for more information on the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary cast list. At the time of writing, these actors are said to be returning to the set or have at least been spotting at key filming locations:

  • David Tennant (The Fourteenth Doctor)
  • Catherine Tate (Donna Noble)
  • Ncuti Gatwa (The Fifteenth Doctor)
  • Neil Patrick Harris (The Toymaker)
  • Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble)
  • Karl Collins (Shaun Temple)
  • Yasmin Finney (Rose Noble)
  • Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott)
  • Jemma Redgrave (Kate Stewart)
  • Ruth Madeley (Shirley Anne Bingham)
  • Miriam Margolyes (Beep the Meep)

What to Expect From the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary

OFFICIAL TRAILER | Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials | Doctor Who

Back in May 2022, when Russell T Davies announced the return of two of our favorite characters, he made some cryptic remarks:

“They’re back! And it looks impossible – first, we announce a new Doctor, and then an old Doctor, along with the wonderful Donna, what on earth is happening? Maybe this is a missing story. Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback.

“The only thing I can confirm is that it’s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.”

Russell T Davies, May 2022

The BBC elaborated slightly on the plot, and now that the trailer is out, we know that the story is indeed taking part in the same timeline where the Doctor had to wipe Donna’s memory to save her life. However, back then, her family was left with the ominous warning that should she ever remember him, she would die. So the stakes are clearly high in this 60th Anniversary special!

While plot details are still under wraps, these bits of information have only stoked our excitement to tune into the anniversary event on November 25. We’ll be using NordVPN to change our Netherlands IP address to a UK IP and tune in on BBC iPlayer when each episode drops. Grab your 75% discount on NordVPN and join us in the TARDIS!

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