How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor online now

Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor
(Image credit: BBC)

As if Daleks, Cybermen and The Master weren't enough of a handful for one Time Lord, Jodie Whittaker also faces off with Russia's greatest love machine himself, Grigori Rasputin, in her Doctor Who's last doomsday adventure. The Thirteenth Doctor's going out in style in this feature-length BBC centenary special, and it's available to watch now. So read on as we explain how to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor online from anywhere in the world.

Skip to the TV coverage details because, below, there be spoilers!

Watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor online

Premiere: Sunday, October 23 (UK, US, CA)

Time: 7.30pm BST (UK)

Free stream: BBC iPlayer (UK) | ABC iview (AU)

Global streams: BBC America via Sling TV discount or FREE fuboTV trial (US) | CTV (CA)

Watch anywhere: tune in with a 100% risk-free VPN

Show writer Chris Chibnall, who also bids farewell with The Power of the Doctor, has promised a treasure trove of easter eggs, an ensemble cast of villains and a multitude of blasts from the show's exalted past.

Straight-talking Tegan (Janet Fielding), who was last seen chewing the ear off Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor and Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor across space and time in the early 80s, and Ace (Sophie Aldred), the scrappy side-kick to Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor later the same decade, are among the fan-favourites returning for Whittaker's 87-minute finale.

Both a regeneration episode and a celebration of Doctor Who, The Power of the Doctor explores love, finality, and what to do when a bullet train hurtles off the face of the planet.

With Ncuti Gatwa and Russell T. Davies set to take ownership of the TARDIS next, it's the end of a significant chapter. Here's how to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor online from anywhere in the universe! OOO-Wee-oooo....


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How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor online for FREE in the UK

7.30pm BST on Sunday, October 23

Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor airs on BBC One at 7.30pm BST on Sunday, October 23. BBC One is free-to-air with a valid TV licence, with the option to watch live online and on catch-up through BBC iPlayer.

Watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor from abroad with a VPN

The on-demand streaming platform is accessible through a wide range of devices, including desktop, iOS and Android, streaming devices like Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku, as well as most smart TVs.

How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor from outside your country

For those of you who are away from home, abroad, when Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor airs, you’ll be unable to watch the show like you normally would due to annoying regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution. 

Downloading a VPN will allow you to stream new centenary special online no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.

Use a VPN to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor from anywhere

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Once you've chosen and installed your VPN of choice, simply open the service's corresponding app, hit 'choose location', select the appropriate country and you'll be able to watch the broadcast as if you were back at home.

Three simple steps to using a VPN to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor 

1. Download and install a VPN - we recommend ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the relevant server location - launch the VPN app, click on 'choose location' and select the right location i.e. UK for iPlayer

3. Head to the chosen broadcaster's stream - in this case, head to the BBC iPlayer


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How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor in the US without cable

8pm ET/5pm PT on Sunday, October 23

BBC America is the place to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor in the US, with the centenary special airing at 8pm ET/5pm PT on Sunday, October 23.

If you have the channel as part of your cable package, you can also live stream Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor on the BBC America website.

How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor without cable

If you don't have cable, fear not. OTT streaming service Sling TV is reasonably priced and includes BBC America as part of both its Sling Blue package and its Sling Orange package. 

Sports fans and those with young children are best served by Sling Orange, which includes ESPN, Nick Jnr. and the Disney Channel among its lineup. But if you’re into great TV dramas and documentaries, Sling Blue is ideal, with National Geographic, Discovery, SyFy, and FX.

Whichever package you choose, the usual cost is $35 a month, but if you're new to the service you can get your first month for half-price.

Alternatively, another over-the-top streaming service that includes BBC America is FuboTV. It's a much more comprehensive cable replacement, and carries more than 100 channels including Fox, CBS and ESPN. Prices start at $69.99 a month after a FREE FuboTV trial.

If you subscribe to Sling, Fubo, or any other US streaming service and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN as outlined below - of the many options, we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.

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How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor online in Canada

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Whovians in Canada can watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor on CTV Sci-Fi at the same time as in the US - that's 8pm ET/5pm PT on Sunday, October 23.

The special will be added to the network’s on-demand platform after it airs, and if you're a cable customer, it'll be available to watch completely free. 

Unfortunately, CTV doesn't offer a streaming-only subscription option - so if you don't have the channel as part of a cable package, you're out of luck.

Canadians out of the country right now will encounter geo-blocks preventing them from connecting to their usual streaming platforms - but a solution is readily available. Just download a VPN and you’ll be free to watch your favorite shows wherever you are.

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How to watch Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor FREE online in Australia

7.30pm AEDT on Monday, October 24

Viewers Down Under have to wait a little longer for their Doctor Who fix, with The Power of the Doctor being shown at 7.30pm AEDT on Monday, October 24 on free-to-air ABC TV Plus in Australia.

Alternatively, you can catch it online live or on-demand via the ABC iview streaming service. It’s FREE to use – all you need to do is create an account and away you go!

Away from Australia right now? Not to worry, you can still access your favourite streaming service from anywhere in the world with the help of a good VPN.

Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.