Can You Watch Dancing With The Stars In The Uk

So there I was, last Tuesday, half-watching my phone while scrolling through yet another bleak news cycle. My mate Clara, who lives in Boston, sent me a blurry video of her kitchen. She was shrieking at her telly, and I could hear the faint, familiar twang of a country song. ‘You’re missing it!’ she typed. ‘Dancing with the Stars!’ I stared at my UK schedule. Crickets. No glitter, no Len Goodman ghost, nothing. Right then, I had to know: is this glorious, sequinned chaos actually watchable from across the pond?

The short answer—and I’ll rip the sequin off the bandage—is yes, but it takes a little bit of creative setup. It’s not as straightforward as flipping on BBC iPlayer or hitting your usual Netflix menu. You see, the US version of Dancing with the Stars (the one with the dramatic eliminations and the occasional viral dance fail) is a Disney+ property in America. Over here in the UK, Disney+ doesn’t automatically serve it up in your recommended feed. Go figure, right? It’s like they want us to miss out on the drama.

But don’t panic—I’m not about to leave you hanging with only a shoddy TikTok recap. The most reliable route to watch it live involves a VPN. Yes, that tool everyone tells you to use for cheaper flights. You basically trick your internet into believing you’re sipping a latte in New York while you’re actually in rainy Manchester. Connect to a US server, log into Disney+, and boom—you’re watching Derek Hough critique a foxtrot like he’s judging a pigeon on a sidewalk. Just remember to pause your VPN before you try to stream The Crown or things get messy.

Now, if you’re like me and you’d rather not wrestle with software on a Monday night, there’s a lazier option. The show usually lands on Disney+ UK about 24 to 48 hours after the US broadcast. No VPN, no headache. You just have to avoid social media for a whole day to dodge the spoilers. Which, let’s be honest, is a challenge harder than a rumba in heels. Imagine opening Twitter and seeing ‘OMG, Harry got eliminated!’ before you’ve even made your popcorn. Frustrating, isn’t it?

But Why Bother With the US Version?

You might be thinking, ‘We’ve got Strictly Come Dancing right here—it’s the original, the queen, the whole darn thing.’ And you’re not wrong. Strictly is a treasure. But the US version has a different flavour. It’s louder, more dramatic, and the judges have zero chill. Plus, you get to see random celebrities you’ve vaguely heard of—like a former NFL player or a TikTok star you’ve never seen—attempt a paso doble. It’s like reality TV comfort food that tastes just different enough to keep you hooked.

Can you watch Dancing with the Stars in the UK? | Radio Times

Also, let’s talk about the hosts. Alfonso Ribeiro (yes, Carlton from Fresh Prince) brings a whole new energy. He’s cheeky, he dances along, and he doesn’t have Tess Daly’s polite British reserve. I love Tess, but sometimes you need a host who will literally do the splits mid-sentence. It’s chaos, and it’s brilliant. If you’re into that sort of thing—and I assume you are if you’ve read this far—you’ll want to find a way in.

The Not-So-Glamorous Side

I won’t lie: the time difference is a nightmare. The show airs live in the US at 8 PM Eastern, which translates to 1 AM in the UK. That’s past my bedtime, folks. I’m usually asleep by 10:30, dreaming of a quiet life. To catch it live, you’ll need coffee and a strong will. Or you can do what I do: record it (if your setup allows) and watch it over breakfast. There’s something profoundly satisfying about eating Weetabix while a professional dancer explains why a contestant’s “frame collapsed.” It feels illicit, like a secret morning ritual.

Can you watch Dancing with the Stars 2023 in the UK? | Radio Times

One more thing: don’t forget that the UK has its own strict broadcasting rules. You can’t just jump on a random website that claims to stream it for free. Those sites are dodgy, full of pop-ups for “win an iPhone” scams, and they usually buffer right when the dance-off happens. Trust me, I tried that once. I ended up watching a blurry, pixelated rumba to a song that sounded like a dying fax machine. Never again. Stick to legal streaming—your sanity (and your laptop) will thank you.

So, can you watch Dancing with the Stars in the UK? Absolutely. With a little tech-savvy or a bit of patience, you can join the glittery madness. Whether you go full VPN hacker or just wait a day for the Disney+ drop, the show is there for the taking. And honestly, isn’t anything worth a little extra effort if it means watching a former child star attempt a samba? I think so. Now go make that popcorn—just avoid the comments section until you’re caught up.