How to watch Strictly Come Dancing online and stream the new series from anywhere

It's been quite the eventful week in the world of Strictly before Week 4's live show has even happened. Down two celebrities on the dance floor this week, make sure you know how to watch Strictly Come Dancing 2021 online as the competition heats up.

Watch Strictly Come Dancing online

When: Saturday nights

Channel: BBC One

Time: 7pm BST

Free UK stream: watch BBC iPlayer for FREE

Watch anywhere: try the top VPN around 100% risk-free

Wrapping on Strictly's Movie Week, another contestant was cut from the line-up following the dreaded dance off. And, in the space of a week, we've lost two more celebrities.

Ugo Monye and partner Oti Mabuse won't be dancing this week due to a history of back problems. But Ugo has promised he's working with medical professionals to get back on two (hopefully dancing) feet.

Unfortunately, Peep Show's Robert Webb has had to pull out of the show entirely. In a statement, he said, "I’m extremely sorry to have to announce that I’m withdrawing from Strictly Come Dancing due to ill health," going on to explain symptoms had arisen, following heart surgery he'd undergone two years ago.

With eleven celebrities still ready to take to the floor, though, there will be plenty of Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, and waltzing to keep us occupied.

You won’t want to miss the Week 4 live show as more and more tens are sure to be handed out. Here's how to watch Strictly Come Dancing online on-demand from anywhere.

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How to watch Strictly Come Dancing online FREE in the UK

You can watch Strictly Come Dancing live every Saturday on at 7pm BST absolutely free on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The results show will follow on Sunday at 7.10pm on BBC One and will also be available to stream online on the iPlayer.

The start times of both shows do vary slightly from week to week but it's usually around 7pm BST. We’ll keep this page up to date with the exact time each Saturday and Sunday as soon as it's released.

Late to the Strictly party? You can catch up on every Strictly Come Dancing episode for free on the BBC iPlayer. In fact, you can watch any of the Strictly Come Dancing shows for free on the iPlayer live or on demand.

Remember, whether you're watching online or on your TV you should have a valid TV license when tuning into Strictly.

If you're not in the UK, use a VPN to stream your favourite BBC shows online from anywhere as if you were at home.

How to watch Strictly Come Dancing online from outside your country

For anyone abroad right now who still wants to experience the glitz and glam of Strictly, you might struggle from outside of the UK. But don't let geo-restrictions come between you and your weekly fix of ballroom dancing.

Simply downloading and installing a VPN to your device will let you watch Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC iPlayer from anywhere. A VPN effectively tricks your device into thinking it's in another location by changing the IP address to elsewhere in the world.

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Three simple steps to using a VPN to watch Strictly Come Dancing

1. Download and install a VPN - we recommend ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the relevant server location - launch the VPN app, click on 'choose location' and select the right location i.e. UK for iPlayer

3. Head to the chosen broadcaster's live stream - in this case, head to the BBC iPlayer

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Who are the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 couples?

Adam Peaty and Katya Jones
AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington
Dan Walk and Nadiya Bychkova
Greg Wise and Karen Hauer
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe
Judie Love and Graziano Di Prima
~~Katie McGlynn and Gorka Marquez~~
~~Nina Wadia and Neil Jones~~
Rhys Stephenson and Nancy Xu
Robert Webb and Dianne Buswell
Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice
Sara Davies and Alijaž Škorjanec
Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin
Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden
Ugo Monye and Oti Mabuse

Strictly Come Dancing contestants 2021

Ugo Monye (former rugby player and broadcaster)
Judie Love (comedian and TV presenter)
Adam Peaty (Olympic swimmer)
Rose Ayling-Ellis (actress)
Nina Wadia (actress and comedienne)
Greg Wise (actor)
Tilly Ramsay (chef and social media star)
Dan Walker (presenter)
Katie McGlynn (actress)
Sara Davies (business entrepreneur and TV personality)
Rhys Stephenson (actor and children's TV presenter)
John Whaite (chef)
AJ Odudu (TV presenter)
Robert Webb (comedian)
Tom Fletcher (musician and author)

Strictly Come Dancing professionals 2021

Jowita Przystal
Kai Widdrington
Nikita Kuzmin
Cameron Lombard
Aljaz Skorjanec
Giovanni Pernice
Gorka Marquez
Graziano Di Prima
Johannes Radebe
Neil Jones
Amy Dowden
Dianne Buswell
Karen Hauer
Katya Jones
Luba Mustuk
Nadiya Bychkova
Oti Mabuse
Nancu Xu

Strictly Come Dancing judges 2021

Anton Du Beke
Shirley Ballas
Motsi Mabuse
Craig Revel Horwood

Covid rules for Strictly Come Dancing 2021

Although the country is well on its way back to normality (touch wood), the Strictly producers aren't taking any risks and have Covid-19 measures in place again in 2021.

This time around anyone working on the show will be tested weekly and professional dancers will bubble up with their celebrities like last year.

The group numbers for the series have already been filmed and there will be no group chats with Claudia and Tess, with couples sat in the audience instead, which will also be of limited numbers.

The shortened isolation period after a positive test from fourteen days to ten should help the show to run smoother. Last year a positive test meant that the first same-sex couple on the show, Nicola Adams and Katya Jones, had to leave the competition early. However, the new rules should allow anyone that does test positive to miss a single week of live shows rather than end their time in the ballroom entirely.

How to watch Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two

The Strcitly Come Dancing spin off show, It Takes Two, will return this month to curb that Strictly fever between live shows. The show will be back every weeknight to give you all of the behind the scenes exclusives.

You can tune in to Strictly: It Takes Two on BBC Two at 6.30pm BST Monday to Friday. The half an hour show kicks off on Monday September 27 and will air for the duration of Strictly Come Dancing 2021. Remember, you can watch free on the iPlayer live or on demand.

After a ten year stint on the show, Zoe Ball won't be returning in 2021. But fear not, the tea time show is in safe hands, with Ball's co-presenter, Rylan Clark-Neal, and long established professional dancer, Janette Marara, taking over presenting duties on It Takes Two this year.

The sideshow is usually packed with training footage, interviews, opinions from the judges and much more, so for unseen behind the scenes extras, it's worth tuning in.