BBC iPlayer not working on smart TV? Here’s how to fix it

The BBC iPlayer app is great for catching up on shows such as EastEnders, Match of the Day or Line of Duty. But only when it works! If BBC iPlayer is not working on your smart TV, here’s how to fix it!

Update 19th Feb 2023: It appears the BBC has failed to renew the SSL certificate for iPlayer. In non-techy terms, this is a security certificate required to prove the site you’re visiting is what it claims to be. There’s nothing you can do as a user to fix this problem, sadly. Just hope the BBC can sort it swiftly. 

It’s worth noting that the iPlayer app seems to be working on  iPhone/iPad/Android, so you may be able to cast the iPlayer video to your television. 

BBC iPlayer app keeps crashing

This is something I’ve seen repeatedly on my own TV. You press on the BBC iPlayer app, the logo appears and then… nothing. You’re sent back to the main menu.

BBC iPlayer app can’t connect or stutters

If the BBC iPlayer app itself seems to be working, but you can’t watch programmes because it can’t find an internet connection, or the shows are continually stuttering, there are a few things to try.

1. Check your broadband connection. Make sure other devices in the house are still able to connect to the internet. If not, try resetting your broadband router, as that often resolves a short-term connection issue.
2. Check the TV has an internet connection. In the menus of your smart TV, there should be an option to check the internet connection. Again, instructions will vary depending on your make of TV, but on my Samsung smart TV the setting is in General > Network > Network Status. If it’s reporting it doesn’t have an internet connection, try using that same setting’s menu to reconnect to the Wi-Fi.
3. Poor Wi-Fi connection. If iPlayer is constantly stuttering or buffering (showing a frozen picture and spinning circle icon) then your Wi-Fi connection might not be good enough. There are a few potential causes here. It might be that the TV is too far away from the Wi-Fi router, particularly if it’s a bedroom TV and the router is downstairs. It might be peak-time congestion on your Wi-Fi network, as different members of the household are on the internet. Ideally, run an Ethernet cable from the back of your router to the TV to eliminate any Wi-Fi issues. If that’s not practical, then have a conversation with your broadband provider about boosting the Wi-Fi signal around your house. For example, Virgin Media sells a device that can boost Wi-Fi signals.

BBC iPlayer not working on smart TV: other things to try

If none of the above solve your problem with the BBC iPlayer app, there are other ways to get the BBC iPlayer on your TV.

If you have the BBC iPlayer app installed on a smartphone or tablet that’s on the same Wi-Fi network as the TV, you can try casting the show to the television. Press on the little screen icon in the top-right corner of the app, as shown in the screenshot from an iPad below, and select your TV from the list that appears.

Similarly, you could run iPlayer on a laptop computer and cast from that or connect the laptop via a cable to the TV.

Finally, you could try running BBC iPlayer from another smart TV device, not the TV app itself. The Amazon Fire TV Stick, for example, is £40 (at the time of writing) and adds smart TV features to any set. Devices such as this are particularly handy for older TVs that are still working perfectly, but where the smart apps have stopped being updated by the manufacturer.