Watch the Power of the Doctor – how to stream the Doctor Who centenary special for free today

The Power of The Doctor – the BBC's "absolutely spectacular" Doctor Who Centenary special – is live on BBC iPlayer now. The BBC has offered up a feature-length episode like no other with returning cast members across a host of generations and Doctors. Want to see Jodie Whittaker return for the final time as The Thirteenth Doctor? UK fans can watch and stream The Power of The Doctor free on BBC iPlayer but follow this guide on how to watch the Doctor Who centenary special from wherever you are now.

We've already been treated to two feature-length Doctor Who specials in 2022, but the third – The Power of the Doctor – is, well, a bit more special. It was commissioned as part of the BBC's centenary celebrations and is described as an "epic blockbuster" that sees the Thirteenth Doctor "fight for her very existence against her deadliest enemies: the Daleks, the Cybermen and her arch-nemesis, the Master".

"I would say that Whovians are in for an absolute treat," said Jodie Whittaker. "We celebrate the old, the present and the new. It’s a wonderful homage to the legacy that Doctor Who has had. It encapsulates all the things the fans love about Doctor Who – whether it be old monsters, returning characters, new elements, everything that unites Whovians is in this episode."

In short, if you haven’t seen Doctor Who before, the 90-minute Doctor Who Centenary special could be the perfect starter. Make sure you know how to watch The Power of the Doctor from where you are.

Watch The Power of the Doctor for free

In the UK, BBC iPlayer will stream Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor live and on-demand from 7.30pm BST on 23rd October. Simply sign up for a BBC account with an email address and a UK postcode (e.g. W1A 1AA) and you're good to go! Travelling away from the UK at the moment?

Use a VPN to watch The Power of the Doctor on BBC iPlayer while overseas.

We recommend ExpressVPN. It's easy to use and offers a quibble-free 30-day money back guarantee. Full details below.

Watch The Power of The Doctor from abroad with a VPN

Even if you have a BBC account, you won't be able to access BBC iPlayer when outside the UK. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. It creates a private connection between your device and the internet. There are lots of VPNs to choose from, but we think ExpressVPN is one of the very best...

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How to use a VPN to watch The Power of The Doctor

Using a VPN to watch The Power of The Doctor is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For The Power of The Doctor, you may wish to choose 'UK' for BBC iPlayer.

3. Then head over to BBC iPlayer on your browser or device and enjoy The Power of The Doctor live stream free of charge.

If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, and Surfshark which offers 24 hour assistance.

Watch The Power of The Doctor in the USA

Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor will premiere on BBC America in the States at 8pm ET/5pm PT on Sunday 23rd October. If you don't have cable TV, you can pick up BBC America on cable cutting services such as Sling and FuboTV.

BBC America comes with both Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Sling costs $35 per month but you get your first month for half-price and can cancel at any time. FuboTV is more expensive but you get a wider channel offering. There's also a 7-day free trial to enjoy

Remember: UK nationals travelling overseas can use a use a VPN watch The Power of the Doctor free of charge on BBC iPlayer. Details just above.

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Catch Doctor Who and a host of British drama, sci-fi and comedy on BBC America with Sling. There's a tonne of US channels too. It's $35 per month but you can get the first month half-price here. No contract, cancel at any time.

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FuboTV 7-day free trial
Fubo TV has BBC America alongside 100s of other channels. The FuboTV app supports Roku, Fire TV and iOS/Android devices. There's a 7-day free trial and plans start from $69.99 thereafter. No contract, cancel anytime.

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Watch The Power of the Doctor live stream in Australia

ABC iView is your best bet for watching Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor in Australia. It airs at 7.30pm AEDT on Monday 24th October.

Remember: UK nationals who are outside the UK can use a VPN to watch The Power of the Doctor free of charge on BBC iPlayer. Details above.

Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor official trailer

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