How to watch the Great British Bake Off with VPN

How to watch the Great British Bake Off with VPN
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The Great British Bake Off is as its name says a British baking contest that’s shown on Channel 4 and Netflix US. However, only the British have the opportunity to watch the baking show for free, while the Americans must pay at least $6.99 per month. But that’s unless you use a VPN to unblock Chanel 4 from anywhere.

Season 14 release date: September 26
Where to stream: Channel 4 (the UK), Netflix (the US)
Stream for free: Try ExpressVPN, now 61% off

A reputable streaming VPN can spoof your real IP location and switch it with the UK IP tricking Channel 4 into believing that you’re accessing the platform from Great Britain. This way, you will be able to watch the Great British Bake Off for free anywhere in the world.

Considering that not all VPNs have servers in the UK nor all of them can unblock Channel 4, we have tested 35 providers and selected the top 3 Channel 4 VPNs. In this guide, you will find out how to watch the Great British Bake Off for free with a VPN and where else you can see the show.

How to achieveWatch GBBO in the US for free with a VPN

  1. Select a VPN with servers in the UK. Our top pick is ExpressVPN, now 61% off.
  2. Download and install the GBBO VPN app either on your PC or smartphone. 
  3. Connect to a server in London or any other British city.
  4. Head to the Channel 4 website or application and sign up.
  5. Look for the GBBO and start watching.

Why use a VPN to watch the Great British Bake Off in America?

With the GBBO being available in the US on Netflix, you may be wondering why to use a VPN to watch it. Well, the thing is that with the help of a reputable VPN, you can stream the Great British Bake Off for free without having to pay for Netflix or other US broadcasters’ services. A VPN can switch your local IP to the UK one and unblock Channel 4 which is a completely free-of-charge British streaming service.

Express VPN

Watch GBBO anywhere with ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best option to stream GBBO in the US or anywhere in the world. The provider has an extensive server fleet and retains lightning-fast speeds for a lag-free streaming experience.

9.7

/10

1
  • Super-fast connection speeds
  • MediaStreamer feature for unlimited streaming experience
  • 30-day risk-free trial
Get ExpressVPN

Another reason to use GBBO VPN is to access the so-called “lost” seasons of the Great British Bake Off. After Love Productions first left the BBC for Channel 4, GBBO seasons from 1 to 7 were removed from Netflix, Channel 4, and other streaming services. Yet, the Canadian broadcaster CBC Gem has retained the full show. So, by getting the Canadian IP, you can also unlock the first series of GBBO.

Best VPNs to watch the GBBO in the USA

  1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN to watch GBBO in the US
  2. NordVPN – Fastest VPN to stream the British Bake Off
  3. Surfshark – Affordable GBBO VPN service

For the GBBO experience to be the best, you need a VPN that has servers in the UK and Canada, retains fast connection speeds, and works with the devices you use.

We hand-picked the top 3 GBBO VPNs that 100% work with Channel 4 and CBC Gem:

1. ExpressVPN – Top VPN to watch GBBO in America

ExpressVPN
1

9.7

/10

expressvpn banner
Pros & cons
  • Has many servers in the UK and Canada
  • Unblocks streaming services effortlessly
  • Ensures lightning-fast speeds
  • AES encryption isn’t available with the Lightway tunnel

ExpressVPN is the best VPN to watch the Great British Bake Off in the US or elsewhere, as it has servers in 5 UK and 4 Canadian cities. Moreover, the provider unblocks all major and less popular streaming services, including Channel 4 or CBC Gem.

Location The British Virgin Islands
Number of servers 3000+ servers in 105 countries
Price starting from from $4.99/month

You can get the app for all popular devices and even a router, which allows you to share an encrypted connection to non-VPN devices. With a single subscription, you can connect up to 8 devices at once. ExpressVPN’s prices start from $4.99/month and you also get a 30-day risk-free trial.

Read our ExpressVPN review to learn more about the features.

2. NordVPN –  Fastest VPN for streaming GBBO for free

NordVPN
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9.6

/10

NordVPN
Pros & cons
  • SmartDNS for streaming GBBO on devices that don’t support VPNs
  • Retains over 90% of the baseline speed
  • 7-day free trial is available via Android devices
  • Possible kill switch failures
  • No refunds on iTunes or Apple App Store purchases

NordVPN is a speedy VPN that unblocks both Channel 4 and CBC Gem to stream the Great British Bake Off. The provider has servers in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, as well as in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester.

Location Panama
Number of servers 7,000+ servers in 113 countries
Price starting from from $3.46/month

This is one of the best VPNs for bypassing geo-blocking, as it has the SmartPlay feature which automatically kicks in to help you access restricted content on smart devices or those that can’t have a VPN installed. The prices start from $3.46/month, and you can also claim a 7-day free trial via Android devices together with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Explore our in-depth NordVPN review to learn more about the VPN.

3. Surfshark – GBBO VPN with the best price-to-quality ratio

Surfshark
1

9.5

/10

surfshark banner
Pros & cons
  • Allows unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Has servers in the UK and Canada
  • Spoofs the GPS location on Android devices
  • Many security features come with a pricier Surfshark One plan
  • Apple applications are missing some of the features

Surfshark is the most affordable VPN for GBBO, as it allows unlimited simultaneous connections per account. Additionally, the VPN bypasses even the toughest geo-restrictions, so you will be able to watch the Great British Bake Off from season 1 to season 14 for free anywhere.

Location The Netherlands
Number of servers 3,200+ servers in 100 countries
Price starting from from $1.99/month

Another thing to note is that Surfshark is one of the top VPNs for multiple devices, as it helps you bypass geo-blocks on devices that can’t have a VPN installed, like Roku or Apple TV. And all of this is available from $1.99/month with a 30-day risk-free trial as well as a 7-day free trial on the side.

Get to know more about the features in our Surfshark review.

Where to stream the Great British Bake Off online

The Great British Bake Off is available online on several streaming services but they all work in different regions unless you use a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions.

 

These are the streaming services that have some or all of the GBBO seasons:

Streaming service

Seasons

Where it's available

Price

Channel 4

Seasons 8-14

The UK

Free

CBC Gem

Seasons 1-13

Canada

Free

Netflix

Seasons 8-14

The US

$9.99/month

Amazon Prime Video

Seasons 1-5

The UK 

£1.89/episode

Can I watch GBBO for free in the US with a VPN

Yes, you can watch the Great British Bake Off in the US with a VPN without paying a penny. First of all, Channel 4 and CBC Gem are two streaming services that are completely free. However, the former works in the UK and the latter – in Canada. So, with a VPN you can change your US IP into the Canadian or British one and access these streaming services.

But now you may wonder whether any free VPN is capable enough to unblock Channel 4 or CBC Gem. With a completely free VPN, the chances are low that you will be able to watch GBBO in the US or elsewhere. However, you can use a premium VPN that has a 30-day risk-free trial, like ExpressVPN, and get the whole month to binge on the Great British Bake Off without investing.

So, here are the steps on how to watch the Great British Bake Off completely for free in America or anywhere else:

  1. Select a VPN with servers in the UK or Canada. We recommend ExpressVPN
  2. Download and install the VPN app.
  3. Get a VPN subscription and sign up.
  4. Connect to a server in the UK to watch GBBO seasons 8-14 or a server in Canada for seasons 1-13.
  5. Get the phone app or go to the web version of either Channel 4 or CBC Gem.

To watch GBBO completely for free, you’d need to claim the ExpressVPN refund within 30 days of your purchase. Yet, keep in mind that ExpressVPN also unblocks many other streaming services, like different Netflix libraries, so you might want to keep it.

The Great British Bake Off VPN not working

Have you installed a VPN, and connected to the correct server but still can’t access Channel 4 or CBC Gem from anywhere to watch GBBO? This is how you can fix the issue:

 

  • Reconnect to a VPN. The VPN’s given IP with the server may have been blocked by the streaming service. Hence, you’d need to reconnect to obtain a different IP address.
  • Reset your browser. The browsing history is one of the tools that streaming services use to monitor the user’s actual location. Therefore, you may need to clear your browser’s cookies and cache.
  • Enable IP leak protection. It can be that a VPN is leaking your DNS/IP address, which means that you’re not using a VPN. Luckily, you can enable IP leak protection in the VPN app.
  • Switch to a new VPN. If you have chosen a VPN blindly, it’s possible that it’s not capable enough to bypass geo-restrictions. Therefore, we suggest you try ExpressVPN. During our tests, it unblocked both Channel 4 and CBC Gem, among other popular streaming services.

Final thoughts

The Great British Bake Off season 14 is starting on September 26th on Channel 4 and on September 29th on Netflix US. However, only Channel 4 allows you to enjoy GBBO season 14 for free. And even though this streaming service is geo-locked, you can still access it in the US with a VPN.

After going through tests, we found that ExpressVPN is the best VPN to watch the Great British Bake Off season 14 for free anywhere. It has many servers in the UK, retains speedy connections, and ensures full HD streaming. Moreover, with a VPN, you can connect to servers in Canada and unblock CBC Gem to see the lost series of GBBO completely for free.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can watch the Great British Bake Off in the US. GBBO seasons 8-13 are available on Netflix and season 14 is coming on September 29th. However, to watch GBBO in the US for free, you’d need to use a VPN to access Channel 4, Amazon Prime Video, or CBC Gem.