Can I download podcasts and programmes outside of the UK? You can download most podcasts on the BBC Sounds app or from the BBC Sounds website from outside of the UK. Some can only be downloaded within the UK due to rights agreements which prevent us from making the content available internationally. Music and sports programmes are most likely to be restricted. You can't download radio programmes on the BBC Sounds app from outside the UK. Again, this is due to rights restrictions.
If - for some reason - you can't download or access the app, then one of best alternatives is a free app called British Radios (Android, iOS). This app lets you listen to most of the live BBC radio stations, and other radio stations like Heart, Magic and Absolute Radio without paying a penny. Another app that does a similar job is TuneIn Radio (Android, iOS) but this works on the freemium model, meaning you'll need to pay to remove ads and unlock other content.
If you're using a PC or laptop to listen to radio within Google's Chrome browser and don't want to navigate around the BBC Sounds website, then you can enhance your listening experience using the unofficial BBC Radio Tuner extension for Google Chrome. This lets you flip between the BBC's main radio channels via a simple selector on Chrome's toolbar.
Occasionally, a BBC radio broadcast, whether live or on catch-up, will be replaced by a recorded message telling you that "due to rights restrictions this part of the programme is unavailable" - or something to that effect. This most often applies to coverage of sports and other live events that the BBC only has the licence to broadcast within the UK.
The easiest way to work around such restrictions is by using a VPN. Two of our current favourite VPN services are ExpressVPN and Surfshark VPN. Both cater to different budgets, but will unlock any geo-restricted content - whether it's BBC iPlayer or BBC Sounds regardless of where in the globe you want to access your broadcast from.