How to watch Mercury Music Prize for free – stream full replay

Here's our guide on how to watch Mercury Music Prize 2026 for free on BBC iPlayer - replay Raye from anywhere in the world.

Raye performs onstage during The 2026 Mercury Prize at the Utilita Arena on October 22, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by JMEnternational/Getty Images)

Watch Mercury Music Prize on BBC iPlayer(UK)
Traveling? Use NordVPN to watch when outside UK
Full replay (1hr 32 min)

The Mercury Music Prize brought music's biggest names – including RAYE and Olivia Dean – to rainy Newcastle on Thursday, October 22, for a star-studded awards show.

Heavyweights Paul McCartney and Dave were among the 12 shortlisted album artists, with the winner receiving £25,000.

Hosted by Lauren Laverne at the sold-out Utilita Arena, the ceremony, which celebrated the year's best British and Irish albums, aired on BBC Four.

Missed it? Below, we'll show you how to watch afull replay of the 2026Mercury Music Prize from anywhere...

How to watch Mercury Music Prize for free on BBC iPlayer

BBC iPlayer

The BBC's online streaming site, BBC iPlayer, is streaming Mercury Music Prize for free in the UK from Thurs, Oct 22.

How to watch BBC iPlayer: RAYE fans who want to catch the Mercury Prize can watch it now on BBC iPlayer and the BBC iPlayer app (iOS / Android).

All you have to do is sign up and provide your email, date of birth, a UK postcode (e.g. SE1 7PB) and confirm that you have a TV license.

OUTSIDE THE UK? UseNordVPN to access BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Mercury Prize 2026 from anywhere

BBC iPlayer is only showing the Mercury Prize (2026) to residents in the UK.

Brits traveling or working outside the UK will need to use a VPN to access BBC iPlayer's stream.

There are lots of VPNs but NordVPN is the one you can rely on to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch the Mercury Album of The Year show from anywhere in the world.

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How to use a VPN – 3 simple steps

It's super simple to use a VPN to watch the Mercury Music Prize replay on BBC iPlayer.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said,** NordVPN** is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the US and want to watch your free BBC iPlayer stream, you'd select 'UK'.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer, sign in, and watchMercury Music Prize for free.

What devices is BBC iPlayer available on?

You can use BBC iPlayer on all of the following devices and platforms:Amazon Fire (Tablets, Cube, Stick, TVs)
Android TV (please note: some models aren’t supported)
Android (Mobile & Tablet) - Android 7.0 and above
Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
Google TVFreelyFreesat (please note: some models aren’t supported)
Freeview Play (TVs and set-top boxes)
iOS (iPhone & iPad) - iOS 14 and above
LG Smart TVs (2016-2024)
NOW Smart Sticks and Boxes (minimum firmware v11.5.0)
PlayStation (PS4 and PS5)Roku (Stick & Roku-OS powered TVs, minimum firmware v11.5.0)
Samsung Smart TVs (2017 and above - 2016 models only offer on demand TV)
Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky StreamVirgin Media (360, Stream, TiVo)
YouView (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
Xbox (One, Series X, Series S)

Who performed at the Mercury Music Prize 2026?

RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE, Florence + The Machine, Nia Archives, Suede, Kojey Radical, Knats and Dove Ellis performed, with Pulp also taking the stage.

Mercury Prize 2026 Nominations in full

Dave – The Boy Who Played the Harp
Dove Ellis – Blizzard
Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream
JADE – THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!
Knats – A Great Day In Newcastle
Kojey Radical – Don't Look Down
Nia Archives – Emotional Junglist
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Paul McCartney – The Boys of Dungeon Lane
RAYE – THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
Suede – Antidepressants
War Child Records – HELP(2)
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How to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.