How to Watch US TV in the UK — Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+
You moved to the UK, or you're just passing through, and suddenly your Hulu account throws up a wall. "This content isn't available in your region." Same story with Peacock and Paramount+. Services you're already paying for — gone, the moment you land at Heathrow. It's maddening, and it happens to American expats constantly.
The good news: this is a completely solvable problem, and you don't need to be remotely technical to fix it.
Why Your US Streaming Services Stop Working in the UK
Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+ are all geo-restricted to the United States. That means they check your IP address every time you connect, and if that address comes back as British, they refuse to load. It's not a bug. It's deliberate — these services have regional licensing deals that legally prevent them from streaming certain content outside the US.
Paramount+ does have a UK version, but it's a completely different library. You'll find a fraction of what's available on the US version. And Hulu has no UK presence at all — there's no workaround other than faking your location.
Peacock is slightly more complicated. NBC's streaming service is US-only at its core, though some content shows up elsewhere through partner deals. If you want the full Peacock experience — live sports, same-day NBC, the full back catalogue — you need a US IP address.
What You Actually Need: A VPN (and Why Free Ones Don't Cut It)
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) hides your real UK location and replaces it with a US IP address. Streaming services see a US connection and let you through.
But here's the thing: free VPNs almost never work for this. Streaming services like Hulu and Peacock actively detect and block VPN IP addresses, and the free services don't have the resources to stay ahead of those blocks. You'll connect, the VPN will technically be running, and Hulu will still tell you it's unavailable. That's not a VPN problem you can troubleshoot — it's just an underpowered service hitting a wall.
Paid VPNs rotate their IP addresses and maintain dedicated streaming servers specifically to get around these blocks. It's an ongoing arms race, and the paid providers actually keep up with it.
Our recommendation is NordVPN. We've tested plenty of options and NordVPN is consistently the most reliable for US streaming specifically. It has a large pool of US servers, it handles Hulu and Peacock better than most, and when a server does get blocked, there are dozens of others to switch to. It costs around $3–5/month (about £2.50–4 / €3–4.50) on an annual plan — less than a single month of most streaming subscriptions.
If NordVPN doesn't suit you, ExpressVPN is a strong second choice — it's faster on average, though pricier. Surfshark is worth a look if you want to cover multiple devices cheaply, since it allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
Step-by-Step: How to Watch US TV in the UK
On Desktop (Windows or Mac)
- Go to NordVPN's website and sign up for a plan.
- Download and install the desktop app.
- Open the app and log in.
- In the search bar, type "United States" — or click on the map to select it.
- Hit Connect. Wait for the green confirmation.
- Open your browser and go to Hulu, Peacock, or Paramount+ as normal.
If you hit a block on Hulu specifically, try disconnecting and reconnecting to a different US server. NordVPN lets you pick specific US cities — try New York or Los Angeles if the generic US option doesn't work.
On iPhone or iPad (iOS)
- Download NordVPN from the App Store.
- Sign in and select a US server.
- Tap Connect — iOS will ask you to allow a VPN configuration. Approve it.
- Open Hulu or Peacock in Safari or the app itself.
One extra thing for iOS: if you downloaded Hulu or Peacock from a non-US App Store account, you may not have the app at all. You'll need a US Apple ID to download US-only apps. There are guides to setting one up — it takes about ten minutes and a US zip code.
On Android
- Download NordVPN from the Google Play Store.
- Sign in and connect to a US server.
- Open Hulu, Peacock, or Paramount+ via your browser, or through the app if you've got it installed.
Android is generally more flexible than iOS here. You can sideload APKs if needed, though for most people just using the browser after connecting to a VPN is the simplest route.
On a Smart TV
Smart TVs can't run a VPN app directly (unless it's an Android TV). Your two best options are:
- Router-level VPN: Set up NordVPN on your home router so every device on the network gets a US IP automatically. NordVPN has guides for most router types.
- Use a streaming stick: A Fire TV Stick or Chromecast with Google TV can run the NordVPN app, which then covers everything you stream through it.
Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)
Hulu says "content not available in your region" even with the VPN on. This usually means the specific US server you're on has been detected. Disconnect, switch to a different US city, reconnect. NordVPN's "Obfuscated Servers" option can also help here — find it in settings.
Peacock is loading but showing the wrong content. Check that your VPN connection is fully active before opening the app. Sometimes the app caches your location from a previous session. Clear the app data or use a browser instead.
The streaming is slow or keeps buffering. Try a server in a US city that's geographically closer to the UK — New York or Miami are usually faster for transatlantic connections than LA or Seattle.
Paramount+ UK is showing instead of the US version. Make sure you're not logged into the UK version of the site. Go directly to paramountplus.com and check that your US account is active.
FAQ
Is it legal to use a VPN to watch Hulu in the UK?
Using a VPN itself is legal in the UK. Technically, it may breach the terms of service of a streaming platform — but that's a civil matter between you and the platform, not a legal issue. The worst that can happen is your account gets flagged or temporarily restricted, which is rare in practice.
Do I still need to pay for Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+ separately?
Yes. A VPN just changes your apparent location — you still need active subscriptions to each service. If you've kept your US subscriptions running, you're good. If you cancelled them when you moved, you'll need a US payment method and billing address to resubscribe.
Can I watch live US TV this way — sports, news, that kind of thing?
Yes. Peacock carries a lot of live sports (including NFL and Premier League in the US), and Paramount+ has live CBS. With a VPN connected to a US server, live streams work just as they would from the US. Just make sure you're accounting for the time zone difference.
Will a VPN slow down my internet too much to stream in HD?
Some slowdown is inevitable — you're routing your traffic through an extra server. But with a decent broadband connection and a good VPN like NordVPN, it's usually negligible. If you notice buffering, switch to a less congested US server.
What if NordVPN stops working with Hulu?
Streaming services do occasionally update their VPN detection. If a server stops working, the fix is almost always just switching to a different US server within NordVPN. The platform keeps a large enough pool that at least some servers are always unblocked. You can also contact NordVPN's support — they're surprisingly helpful at pointing you to currently working servers.
Can I do this on multiple devices at once?
NordVPN allows up to 10 simultaneous connections on one account. So yes — you can have it running on your laptop, phone, and tablet at the same time without needing separate subscriptions.
Bottom Line
If you're an American expat in the UK, or just spending time here and missing your US services, a VPN is the single most useful tool you can have. Get NordVPN, connect to the US, and everything you were watching before you crossed the Atlantic is right back where you left it.
It's not complicated, it costs less per month than a streaming subscription, and it works. That's really all there is to it.
Our top pick
Unlock region-locked content with a reliable VPN — tested and verified by our team.
Visit Nordvpn
