How to watch Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe: stream the special online from anywhere

watch charlie brooker antiviral wipe
(Image credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Has he really been gone that long? Charlie Brooker has returned to the small screen after a four-year hiatus to take issue with the Covid-19 pandemic - so read on to find out how to watch Antiviral Wipe online and stream a healthy dose of sardonic satire no matter where you are in the world.

Charlie Brooker’s Anti-Viral Wipe - cheat sheet

The one-off lockdown special was aired Thursday, May 14 on BBC Two in the UK. It's now available to watch for free to TV license holders on iPlayer.

After winning a Bafta Award for Screenwipe in 2016, Brooker put the show on ice - opting to instead concentrate on the hugely successful dystopian science fiction anthology, Black Mirror.

But being quarantined has lured Charlie back out for what what promises to be an an acerbic look at life under lockdown. As well as taking aim at the political fallout from the outbreak, he'll also be reviewing what we’ve been doing to keep ourselves occupied during the crisis.

Alongside Brooker, there's also the welcome return of collaborators Barry Shitpeas and the divinely deadpan Philomena Clunk (played by Diane Morgan). It's set to be an show no self-respecting comedy fan will want to miss - so here's how to watch Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe online no matter where you are in the world.

How to watch Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe for FREE in the UK

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The satire special was shown on free-to-air BBC Two in the UK this May. This means that it's easy to stream - on laptops, phones, iPads or pretty much any other device made in the last decade.

For that, simply  use the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer" data-link-merchant="bbc.co.uk"" target="_blank">BBC iPlayer app - where the show is available in its entirety on-demand following the live broadcast. Best of all, it's FREE provided you hold a valid UK TV license.

How to watch Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe from abroad

While anyone in the UK will find it easy to watch Antiviral Wipe courtesy of the BBC, folks elsewhere in the world may struggle to tune in to the bastion of British television because of geo-blocking.

If this is the case, anyone from the UK who's currently abroad and holds a valid TV license in Blighty could consider using a VPN. This nifty bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access all the content and services you already pay for back home - just from anywhere in the world.

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There are hundreds of VPNs to choose from, <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.www.expressvpn.com%2Ftechradar%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_aid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">we always recommend ExpressVPN. As well as being fast, simple, and straightforward to install, it's also compatible with a whole host of devices - Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS and Android to name some of the main ones.

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Once installed, select the location of your home country and simply click connect to watch the show at home from anywhere on the planet.

Kevin Lynch

Kevin Lynch is a London-born, Dublin-based writer and journalist. The author of Steve Jobs: A Biographic Portrait, Kevin is a regular feature writer for a number of tech sites and the former Technology Editor for the Daily Mirror. He has also served as editor of GuinnessWorldRecords.com and has been a member of the judging panel for the BAFTA British Academy Video Game Awards. Alongside reviewing the latest AV gear, smartphones and computers, Kevin also specialises in music tech and can often be found putting the latest DAWs, MIDI controllers and guitar modellers through their paces. Born within the sound of Bow Bells, Kevin is also a lifelong West Ham fan for his troubles.