How to watch Grand Designs anywhere
David
When he isn't helping you watch TV abroad, David enjoys watching comedy and documentaries. He's a big fan of The Detectorists and Blue Planet. He also loves watching English football, for his sins he supports Arsenal.
Grand Designs is the very definition of addictive TV.
There are the houses of course, but then there are the optimistic budgets, the construction issues, the people problems, and of course, the people building the houses themselves.
There are few more satisfying things than watching people spend an arm and a leg on building a house you think is hideous.
If, like me, you can’t imagine not watching the latest episodes of Grand Designs live or on-demand, then being abroad can be a real frustration.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to watch Grand Designs from overseas no matter where you are, and in this guide, we are going to tell all.
Where is Grand Designs being shown?
Grand Designs is being broadcast live on Channel 4 in the UK. It is also being streamed both live and on-demand on the All 4 online streaming service if you are the sort of person who likes TV to fit around your life rather than the other way around.
But, if you try and watch Grand Designs on All 4 from outside the UK, you will find it is blocked where you are, along with all Channel 4’s live streaming and on-demand content. Fortunately, there is a way around this.
How do I watch Grand Designs where I am?
If you are outside the UK and want to stream Grand Designs on 4OD, you can use to use a VPN app to do so.
If you haven’t used a VPN before, you may not know that it a popular online security and privacy tool.
But a quirk of how it works, by redirecting all your data down an encrypted tunnel and through an external server, means that it is also brilliant at unblocking streaming services like All 4 too.
VPN servers are located in countries all around the world, and most have plenty available in the UK. If you connect to one of these from overseas, you will find that All 4 will work no matter where you are.
Where to get a VPN?
There are no lack of VPNs available, but while most will claim to be best at unblocking and streaming shows like Grand Designs on All 4, in reality, some are much better at this than others.
The best VPN to unblock All 4 is ExpressVPN.
It offers super-fast connection speeds, which are ideal for streaming, easy-to-use apps for any device you want to watch on, plenty of UK servers to choose from, and even a 30-day money-back guarantee as well.
If you don’t like the look of ExpressVPN for some reason, NordVPN and CyberGhost VPN are two other options that will do the job and let you unblock All 4 and enjoy Grand Designs quickly and easily. Both also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The choice is yours!
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How to stream Grand Designs in any country
Once you have chosen a VPN provider, all you have to do is set things up, which should only take a few minutes.
To make sure things go smoothly, we have crafted a simple step-by-step guide that you can follow. We have used ExpressVPN as an example, but the process is much the same for all providers:
Step 1
Head over to the ExpressVPN website and pick your subscription package.
We reckon the 12-month deal, which will save you 49% and give you an extra three months for free, is the best offer.
Step 2
Now download the ExpressVPN app onto your chosen streaming device. Be sure to always do this from either the ExpressVPN website or your app store for security reasons.
Step 3
Open the ExpressVPN app and log in to your new account using the details given in step one.
Step 4
Tap Selected Location, choose the United Kingdom, and press the Connect button. All you have to do then is wait a few moments for ExpressVPN to establish a connection.
Stream the show anywhere with ExpressVPN.
Step 5
Now, open the All 4 app or webpage, log into your account (or set up a free one if you need to), and then watch Grand Designs live or on-demand from absolutely anywhere.
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What is Grand Designs all about?
Over its 22 series and more than 200 episodes, Grand Designs has become something of a British institution.
It has spawned magazines, books, spin-off programmes, trade shows, award ceremonies, and much, much more. But the original TV show remains at the heart of what Grand Designs is, and its offering is no less compelling now than it was when the show first launched back in 1999.
The standard format of the show is to begin by meeting clients as they are about to embark on a big building project, usually to create a huge, spectacular, and architecturally interesting new build or to renovate a faded architectural gem.
The show then drops back in at regular interludes, sometimes with the host present, sometimes without, to allow the viewers to follow the progress of the build and experience the challenges and successes as the project comes together.
Given these challenging economic times, some might not find Grand Designs in the best taste right now. But as one critic noted, “it seems there’s still no shortage of people trying to create the homes of their dreams.” That’s good news for most viewers.
Who stars in Grand Designs?
There is no denying that the star man in Grand Designs is presenter Kevin McCloud.
McCloud, who is himself a designer and writer as well as a TV host, has been fronting Grand Designs for 23 years now, and his passion and enthusiasm for the projects he is following shows no sign of abating.
But while McCloud ties the series together, each episode has a unique star in the couple (usually) undertaking the build.
These stars come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities, and part of the joy of the show is how you feel about the builders as well as the build.
Then there are the houses themselves which can vary wildly from renovated castles and mills to water towers, eco-homes, modern architecture on a grand scale, and everything in between.
Summary
Every series of Grand Designs is unique, and fans get hooked on the amazing buildings, the people building them, and Kevin McCloud’s take.
A lot of viewers won’t want to miss an episode when they are abroad, and that’s where a VPN can help. ExpressVPN is the one to choose.
Just sign up, download the app, log in, connect to a UK server, and then you can watch Grand Designs live or on-demand on All 4 no matter where in the world you are.
No matter what the build, why miss a grand design when you don’t have to?
✔ Beginner-friendly
✔ Quick to set up
✔ Money back guarantee
30-day money back guarantee
