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BBC iPlayer problems

Users reporting BBC iPlayer streaming problems will involve many platforms and while freezing tops the list, we have also seen quality issues due to poor connections and total server outages. The video content provider can be accessed with an app on Smart TVs, iPhone and iPad, Android devices, computers, and many other platforms.

Some of you might wonder if BBC iPlayer is down right now and you can find out pretty quickly by checking status reports on this page. If there is service problems, then BBC iPlayer users will leave reports below and you can also detail the platform being used and your exactly issue.

On occasion, the problems experienced will be related to your home network and not everyone in the UK. This isn’t always the case, so use the customer support channels on the right to reach official customer service and leave exact issues along with the platform/location to help other users.

BBC iPlayer status reports for Saturday 23rd of January 2021

To find out if BBC iPlayer is down right now, see reports below.

Problems with BBC iPlayer? Share issues with Is Down Right Now readers:

  • Barbara Straughn

    Problem seems to be with my Smart TV – works fine on Cable

  • David Chisholm

    December 2019 still not solved, new smart tv, iplayer buffering doing my nut in. As you say everything else plays it,phone and tablet. Whats the answer BBC?

  • Mark

    I have been trying to get BBC Live on my Windows PC but all I keep getting in a black screen when I try to choose any channel.

  • Ozzie Battler

    not working on my macbook pro , but is working on Phone

  • Richie

    I watch BBC iPlayer iPhone app air played to Apple TV and its not working, it works on my iPhone but not when i am throwing it at the TV via Apple TV.

  • Stuart

    I have problems too with the BBC iPlayer app on a smart tv. We have a 100MBs wired connection going into the tv and even when playback quality is set to low we get buffering issues. This does not happen when using a laptop, iPhone or iPad. Have tried all sorts and have come to the conclusion that even with the huge amount of license payers’ money, the BBC are just not doing enough to develop their apps across all the smart tvs. Every other streaming service plays without issue, including Netflix which happily shows 4K content and plays nicely.

  • Joe

    My iPlayer App is down and out on my Samsung Smart TV, even Now TV not working with iPlayer.All my other apps work great other than iPlayer.

  • Kelly

    I have a Sony Android TV and for some reason both Netflix and BB iPlayer are not working. I have no picture but i do have sound coming through.

  • Diana

    When I play Sherlock Series 4 episode 3 it seems to stop half way through watching, when I shut down and then restart its fine.

  • Chris

    I opend iPlayer up on my laptop and tried a few times to watch motd 2, but it will not let me play it.

  • Jason

    I cannot seem to get bbc iplayer antiques roadshow to play on my iPad, is anyone else having the same problem?

  • helen

    Sorry Can’t watch Helen

  • helen

    Can watch dramas like Modus Message popped up saying download exceeds system ( something something) it disappeared very quickly as well

  • Wilson Laidlaw

    I have been trying to play Radio 3 via iPlayer, as the 320k stream is better quality with superior stereo separation, than my Sky satellite stream, which I think is supposed to be 192k but sounds worse than that. I think the Sky stream has deteriorated recently. Both these streams then go to a Benchmark DAC-2L and then an audio system. I find that roughly ever hour the R3 iPlayer stream stops/freezes and you have to reload the page. This is on Safari/Sierra running on a 2012 Mac Mini. I have a very stable VDSL/2 broadband, which runs at a constant 38 mbps. I can stream other HD radio streams without them stopping.

  • Nic

    Every programme I click on is not playing. Windows phone. ‘Sorry we can’t play that programme right now’. Anyone else?

  • Ruth Nolan

    Ok, I will try that. Thanks

  • john kirk

    Yes I managed to fix it. I had to reset my tv back to factory settings. After I done that all the BBC apps worked fine.

  • Ruth Nolan

    Did you get a resolution? This is happening to me :/

  • ken

    Can’t get TV programmes on BBC iplayer on my laptop. Can get radio programmes and also TV on ITV player. Modem is ok checked by Virgin Media. BBC iplayer is ok on my TV and mobile. Anyone any ideas.

  • john kirk

    Recently bought a sony bravia smart tv but none of the bbc apps ( iplayer, bbc sport and bbc news) will play anything. I can view the content just fine on the apps but when i click play the little circle just goes around for about 20-30 seconds then it comes up a message saying “Something went wrong loading this programme.”

    Every other app that isn’t bbc all work perfectly fine.

  • Guest

    Mine is down aswell

  • HelenP

    iplayer not working today…..Has anyone else had problems?

  • Chris1434

    I player is not loading on our Smart TV, problem has been present all afternoon. We live in south Hertfordshire

  • Margaret

    Sony Smart TV v iplayer. Again! More issues with ipain. Now it won’t even load. Not been able to access for two days. Forever quitting after pausing, freezing, specific content not being available when it should be. Netflix and other apps work fine, just probs with iplayer. Can I get a discount on my licence fee?

  • Malcom

    Seems like my favourites are down and inaccessible, is anyone else having the same issue?

  • David

    When opening my BBC iPlayer it just shows me a message saying error 500 message internal server error.

  • Phil

    I’m having the same problem on Windows 8.1 here in Nigeria

  • fubbc

    BBC iplayer I HATE YOU. Doesn’t work half the time. No more BBC for me. Will torrent ILLEGALLY and FREE from now on.

  • Adrian Machalepis

    Iplayer won’t download on iPhone 6+ with latest iOS

  • Nigel

    When trying to play things it gets stuck, basically things get frozen when i click on the play button.

  • Peterson

    BBC iPlayer is not working correctly and smoothly with Windows 10.

  • Earl

    I try to watch something i have been waiting for on my iPad and when i click on the play button this is where the problem starts. In simple terms, nothing happens when i click the play button – Any answers peeps?

  • Hanson

    BBC iPLayers is temperamental because when trying to play a TV show it takes ages to buffer, then it plays then it buffers again.

  • Kerry

    I purchased one of the Smart TVs that plays Amazon and Netflix etc, but when I try to play BBC iPlayer is stops working on me.

  • Andrew

    Everytime I try to watch somethig on iplayer it keeps pausing. Surely a site like BBC iPlayer wouldnt need to buffer how stupid.

  • Helen

    I am not able to open BBC iPlayer on my mobile phone. When I do the screen is blank or sometimes it opens but just freezes.

  • Mary

    Is there something wrong with iPlayer at the moment because it will not open on my iPhone 6 Plus?

  • Manny

    Will BBC iPlayer be playing all the F1 this year, live streaming would be good.

  • Jan

    Roku LT is not playing iPlayer, no programmes are loading up for me. Anyone else having this same issue?

  • Betty

    Streaming keeps freezing. Anyone else having problems?

  • Lewis

    I keep getting an error saying cannot show content, why is my BBC iPlayer not working?

  • Chris

    Why do I see a green screen when using iPlayer? Happens only on certain TV shows.

  • dan

    The stream quality keeps getting bad for me and then goes clear again, is this due to my broadband speed?

  • Nick

    My BBC iPlayer hasn’t been working for weeks now.

  • Robbie

    I love iPlayer and the amount of programmes on offer, but I always have problems with the stream cutting out after a few minutes of play. I want to know if I am alone with this issue and if I am not, then how can I fix it?