When it comes to classic shows that are great to enjoy while relaxing in your hotel room or while chilling on the sofa, Friends is the classic show to watch wherever you are.
The ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer revolves around six friends as they continue to live in New York City.
But if you’re currently on holiday and unable to watch the show on your usual streaming services, it could be due to geo-restrictions that block access in certain parts of the globe. The good news is that’s where a VPN comes in handy, letting you watch all your favourite shows everywhere you can.
How to watch Friends in the UK
Ever since 2026 landed, Friends has left Netflix – the only real streaming service to have the whole show.
That means if you want to watch it right now, the only way is to buy the seasons on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV. However, the good news is that HBO Max is expected to launch in the UK later this year, so those who subscribe to the streaming service will be able to watch it then.
Friends cast, and who to expect
The six main cast members of the TV series Friends and the characters they played are:
The show also featured several notable recurring cast members, including:
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Can you watch Friends for free?
Earlier this year, when Friends was removed from Netflix, the only way you can watch Friends is by buying each episode individually on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV. They currently cost £2.49 per episode with each box set costing £14.99 each.
Thankfully, the arrival of HBO Max in the UK across all devices means it's now possible to stream the award-winning sitcom as part of a £4.99 per month subscription.
What devices can you watch Friends on?
Since you can watch Friends on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV, there are a multitude of ways to watch the show:
PC and Mac computers running Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, or Linux:
How to watch episodes of Friends using a VPN
If you’re travelling on holiday at the beginning of the year, you might not be able to watch your favourite shows. Many services pinpoint your location with an IP address, which can be linked to geographic regions, allowing platforms to enforce content restrictions based on licensing agreements.
The good news is that a VPN can help bypass this geo-block and allow you to watch any show and any streaming service by connecting to a UK server and masking your current location.
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) let you mask your real location by routing traffic through servers in different countries, tricking services into thinking you're elsewhere.
This enables access to geo-restricted content that's only available for a specific region.
ExpressVPN is an award-winning service, with gongs from the likes of Techradar, CNET, and Tom's Guide, with praise for its servers dedicated to fast, reliable streaming from anywhere in the world. Subscriptions start from £1.99 a month, and unlock ExpressVPN across up to 10x devices. Once installed, connect to a UK server from ExpressVPN's network of over 3,000 servers across 105 countries.
The service uses proprietary Lightway protocol for enhanced speed and reliability, ensuring smooth streaming of festival performances. The service works across all your devices – Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, smart TVs and streaming devices like Fire TV Stick. You can even use ExpressVPN's MediaStreamer feature to watch on devices that don't normally support VPNs, such as PlayStation or Xbox.
ExpressVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to watch the entire festival risk-free and recover your investment if you're not satisfied with the service. VPNs are not illegal and are often mandated by companies to improve online security for employees. However, it's your responsibility to ensure that you're using these popular apps for legal use. Always check the terms and conditions of the streaming service.
Here’s how to use ExpressVPN to tune into Friends wherever you are in the world:
Benefits of ExpressVPN
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It offers ultra-fast speeds on a 10-Gbps network, essential for high-quality streaming without buffering. With military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and features like split tunnelling and a kill switch, your online activity stays private.
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ExpressVPN supports a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and routers. There's no limit on the number of ExpressVPN apps that you can download on your devices, and with a single subscription, you can connect to the VPN on 10x gadgets at once.
It also has a dedicated team that optimises the service for major streaming platforms. Round-the-clock customer support is available if you encounter any issues during race weekend.
ExpressVPN isn't the cheapest VPN. However, its 30-day money-back guarantee makes it a risk-free choice for privacy-conscious users and frequent streamers. It should also give new customers the confidence to subscribe to one of its longer contracts, which unlock the biggest discounts.
