How to watch The Girl Before online from anywhere

David Oyelowo and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in The Girl Before

(Image credit: HBO Max/BBC)

In search of a fresh start, Jane overlooks some of the more unusual details of her tenancy agreement - this is London after all - to set up home in an ultra-minimalist house designed by exacting architect Edward. Are his peculiarities simply the quirks of an artist, or is something more sinister at work? Find out as we explain how to watch The Girl Before online from anywhere now.

Watch The Girl Before online

Premiere date: Sunday, December 19 at 9pm GMT

Director: Lisa Brühlmann

Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Jessica Plummer, Ben Hardy

FREE stream: BBC iPlayer (UK)

Watch anywhere: try the world's top VPN 100% risk-free

Based on the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller of the same name, the mystifying four-part thriller has invited comparisons with 50 Shades of Grey and The Girl on the Train.

In an effort to move on after the death of a loved one, Jane is quick to embrace a new and unique living situation, under the strict rules of its enigmatic creator, who has rather taken a shining to her.

No personal ornaments, no carpets or rugs, no pictures... no problem for Jane. Until the secrets of the house begin to reveal themselves, and she discovers a series of unnerving parallels between herself and its previous tenant.

Prepare to loosen your grip on reality and read on as we explain how to watch The Girl Before online from anywhere.

How to watch The Girl Before FREE in the UK

All four episodes of The Girl Before will be available to watch for FREE on BBC iPlayer from Sunday, December 19.

They're all airing on BBC One too, at 9pm GMT on consecutive evenings starting December 19.

Both BBC One and BBC iPlayer are free to watch with a valid TV licence, and the streaming service works across a huge array of devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, media streaming devices like Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Chromecast and Roku, and PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

Not in the UK right now? By using a VPN you can access all the services you rely on from anywhere. Plus, it’ll keep your private information secure online too.

How to watch The Girl Before online from outside your country

If you’re abroad when The Girl Before airs, you won't be able to watch the show as you normally would at home, thanks to annoying regional restrictions.

Luckily, there’s an easy solution. Downloading a VPN will allow you to stream it 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 The Girl Before from anywhere

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We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick - especially as an iPlayer VPN - thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

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Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...

1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location (a server in the UK in this case)

3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to BBC iPlayer and start watching The Girl Before as if you were back at home

Jessica Plummer and David Oyelowo in The Girl Before — (Image credit: HBO Max/BBC)

How to watch The Girl Before on HBO Max in the US

HBO Max co-produced the miniseries, but at the time of publication The Girl Before's US release date has not been revealed.

If you're not already a HBO Max subscriber and you're curious about the service, the first thing to know is there are two HBO Max price points - $9.99 a month with commercials, or $14.99 without.

Either way, you’ll get access to a huge library of top-drawer content, including And Just Like That, the entirety of Sex and the City, Succession, Girls, Mare of Easttown, and much more.

Plus, if you opt for the ad-free plan, you'll be able to watch Warner Bros.' new 2021 movie releases on HBO Max on release day! And yes, that includes The Matrix Resurrections on December 22. That's all without leaving your home, and in 4K Ultra HD and with Dolby Atmos sound.

The 7-day HBO Max free trial has long since been discontinued. But, if you're a current HBO Now subscriber or pay for HBO through your cable provider, you might actually be entitled to HBO Max at no extra cost.

Devices compatible with HBO Max include iPhone and Android devices, Apple and Samsung TVs, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, Chromecast and Chromebooks, and laptops and PCS. HBO Max on Roku and Amazon Fire Stick is also available.

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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.