ITV is a British commercial television network that broadcasts across the UK. The Independent Television Network (ITV) launched in 1955 to provide competition for the BBC. As of 1990, the legal name of the channel and its’ number is Channel 3. For many years there have been many great programming options and it does a great job of competing against the BBC. There are a variety of different types of shows you can watch there including news, factual, films, sport, comedies, dramas, animated sitcoms for adults, children, and more. The problem is, the network is geared solely for those in the UK. If you want to unblock ITV in the United States then you will need to connect to a VPN.
Quickstart Guide for Watching ITV in the US
For the quickest and easiest way to watch ITV in America, follow these steps.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee).
- Once you have opened the client, locate a server in the United Kingdom.
- Open a browser and connect to the ITV website or launch the ITV Hub app.
- Watch and enjoy all of the great programming options from abroad.
How to Watch ITV with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best choice for unblocking popular streaming services and live sporting events. The ExpressVPN team has combined their VPN service with a Smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer. The combination will protect your privacy and unblock access to a wide range of content all over the world. You can run the ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and router. The MediaStreamer service extends support to streaming media devices (Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Kodi boxes, etc.), Smart TVs, gaming consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Switch), and more.
The team at ExpressVPN is currently offering our visitors a discount on their all-inclusive VPN service. You can enjoy unlimited access to both their VPN network and MediaStreamer service for 49% off with 3 months free. In addition, they are offering a 30-day money back guarantee to all new members so you won’t feel rushed while testing the service. You’ll have a month to watch live events, unblock streaming services, and fully experience the advantages of ExpressVPN. You can expect to be quite impressed with the service.
How to Watch ITV with NordVPN
NordVPN is a good choice for unblocking live sporting events and streaming services. The VPN will help you unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and many more channels. You still need a subscription for paid services like CBS All Access but NordVPN will help you unblock the geo-restrictions. They are one of the few VPNs that can still access Netflix US from outside the United States. This makes NordVPN a great choice for those who want to stream content from other regions of the world.
As you can see, the NordVPN app is easy to use. You can select a server location from the map or from a list of countries. Unfortunately, NordVPN doesn’t let you choose a specific city in locations like the United States. However, it will pick a server based on your current location. We found this to result in slower speeds than ExpressVPN. At times we had to try a few different servers to find one that offered the performance we desired. Otherwise, NordVPN offers everything you need to unblock your favorite websites.
How to Watch ITV with PIA VPN
Private Internet Access, often referred to as PIA, is one of the most popular VPN services in the world. They are headquartered in Silicon Valley and have contributed heavily to the privacy community. You have likely seen PIA in the news as they support a wide range of privacy-related campaigns. From full-page ads to promote privacy bills to support of the open source community, the PIA team is a strong privacy advocate. You will find the VPN service offers everything you need to encrypt your connection and unblock access to many of your favorite web sites.
We have experienced positive results when trying to access Netflix through PIA. You will find that popular streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer are getting good at blocking VPNs. It’s a game of cat and mouse in which the VPNs find ways to stay ahead of the game. In addition to unblocking restrictions, PIA is also very popular in the file sharing community. Torrent users turn to PIA to secure their privacy with sites like TorrentFreak promoting the service. You will find that PIA has a lot to offer for a very reasonable price.
Now that we have taken a look at the best options, let’s look at some popular shows available on the ITV website.
- Drama & Soaps – Coronation Street, Foyle’s War, Blue Murder, Endeavour, Heartbeat, Lethal Weapon, Minder, and more.
- Comedies – Family Guy, American Dad, Benidorm, Almost Naked Animals, Betch, Third Wheel, Tommy Cooper, George and Mildred, Rising Damp, On the Buses, and more.
- Children – The Avatars, The Bagel & Becky Show, Dino Dana, Deadtime Stories, Drop Dead Wierd, Expelled, Fangbone, Oddbods, Ninjago, and more.
- Entertainment – The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Be Beautiful, Bear’s Mission with…, The Chase, Celebrity Juice, Don’t Be Tardy, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and more.
- Factual – Cake Hunters, Bridezillas, Chrisley Knows Best, Dating in the Dark, Devon and Cornwall Cops, Dinner Date, Real Housewives of Auckland, Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars, and more.
- Sport – British Superbikes. ITV Racing, Motorsport UK, and more.
There are definitely more shows available than we are listing here. Those include news shows, movies, and others. You have access to them all once you register. Again, if you are not in the UK or don’t connect to a VPN server, you will be geo-blocked.
About Geo-blocks
Geo-blocks can be annoying. Because of world licensing and broadcasting rights, the media companies block anyone outside of their targeted area. In other words, if you are traveling or want to watch region specific coverage, the blocking software will stop you. Since it can detect IP addresses, it can tell if you are outside of the area it wants you to be in. By connecting to a VPN, you can make the blocking software think you are located someplace else. Of course, you can watch more than just ITV when you use one.
Not All VPNs Will Unblock ITV
The truth of the matter is, the community is littered with ineffective VPN products. Though they may help you in other ways, you are removing one of the biggest benefits of a VPN if it does not unblock geo-restrictions. Even some of the more well-known providers do not work well to get you past those blocks. There is no point in trying to access ITV if you are having issues with the VPN. That is why we suggest the options we mentioned above.
We have just shown you some great tools you can use to unblock the ITV shows. Though there are other providers available, we think you’ll be happy with our choices. If you are a fan of programming from the UK and US, you should not have to miss out on great shows because of where you are located. If your goal is to unblock the ITV website, you have come to the right place.
