How to watch The Famous Five online: stream the Enid Blyton adaptation FREE from anywhere today

How to watch The Famous Five online

The Famous Five premiered on December 9 with the first of three episodes. Episode one, The Curse of Kirrin Island, is now available to stream FREE on BBC iPlayer. A further two episodes are due to be released in early 2024. Away from the UK and eager to catch-up? Use a VPN to watch The Famous Five from anywhere.

The Famous Five preview

In an unlikely union, Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn has adapted Enid Blyton’s children’s book series The Famous Five for a new three-part drama on the BBC. Stuffed with dangerous villains and thrilling mysteries, you can stream opening episode – The Curse of Kirrin Island – right now. Full details below.

"What next?" you might ask of filmmaker Winding Refn (Drive, Only God Forgives) translating Blyton’s children’s stories for TV. "Quentin Tarantino directing Clifford the Big Red Dog?" Yet it is Winding Refn’s ability to create a palpable atmosphere of child-like wonder that comes through here, transforming The Famous Five (2023) into an enchanting tale.

The first of Winding Refn’s movie-length adventures is The Curse of Kirrin Island. It opens in 1939 and follows the gang's discovery of lost treasure, a dead body on the beach, and an inscribed goblet as part of "a story based around the Knights Templar."

The intrepid Famous Five are played here by Diaana Babnicova (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story), Elliott Rose, Kit Rakusen (Foundation), and Flora Jacoby Richardson, playing George, Julian, Dick, and Anne respectively, while James Lance (Ted Lasso) and Ann Akinjirin (Moon Knight) star as their aunt and uncle. And, of course, canine companion Timmy (real name Kip) plays the gang’s fifth member.

Ready to recapture a sense of child-like wonder over the holidays? Then read on below, where we break down how to watch The Famous Five online from anywhere now.

How to watch The Famous Five FREE online

How to watch The Famous Five online for free

Episode 1, The Curse of Kirrin Island, aired on CBBC and is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer. It is also scheduled to air on BBC One on December 26, after which two new episodes will be added to BBC iPlayer sometime in early 2024 (along with a day-and-date CBBC broadcast).

For those wanting to watch The Famous Five online, episodes are available to watch on demand on BBC iPlayer the same day as their TV broadcast. It’s a FREE service, though you should be in possession of a valid UK TV licence, as these now cover digital content consumption, too.

Away from the UK right now? Just use a VPN to alter your IP address so you can stream your favorite TV shows and films online just like you would at home.

How to watch The Famous Five online from anywhere

If you’re away from home when The Famous Five airs, you’ll be unable to watch new episodes live or on-demand due to annoying regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN allows you to stream 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. And ExpressVPN is the no. 1-rated provider you can get right now.

Use a VPN to watch The Famous Five from anywhere:

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How to use a VPN to watch The Famous Five

Three simple steps to using a VPN to watch The Famous Five online:

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 BBC iPlayer

3. Head to the chosen broadcaster's live stream - in this case, head to the BBC iPlayer website or app to watch The Famous Five

How to watch The Famous Five for free in Australia

The Famous Five is available to stream now in Australia with a subscription to Stan. Plans are available from AU$10 a month, but new members can take advantage of the service’s 30-day free trial first.

We don’t yet know when the remaining two episodes will land on Stan. But we’ll be certain to update this space as soon when we hear more.

Traveling overseas? Just because you’re out of the country doesn’t mean you can’t watch your favorite shows. Just download a VPN to stream from the same OTT platforms you would at home.

Can I watch The Famous Five online in the US?

It doesn’t look like Winding Refn’s adaptation of The Famous Five will be available to stream in the US anytime soon.

But, just because you’re out of the UK doesn’t mean you can’t connect to BBC iPlayer. When you purchase a VPN, you can watch the same streaming services you'd use back home, no matter where you are.

Can I watch The Famous Five online in Canada?

Bad news for fans of Enid Blyton’s adventure stories in the Great North: the release of the BBC’s new The Famous Five adaptation hasn’t been scheduled to broadcast in Canada yet. If that should change, though, we’ll make sure to update the situation here.