UPDATE: A BBC spokesperson has contacted TrustedReviews to point out the firm’s action is unrelated to the GWI research figures, mentioned below

A BBC statement reads: “These figures simply aren’t plausible. All our evidence shows the vast majority of BBC iPlayer usage is in the UK. BBC iPlayer and the content on it is paid for by UK license fee payers in the UK and we take appropriate steps to protect access to this content.”

Original story continues below…

The BBC is clamping down on unauthorised use of its iPlayer platform via VPN, following research claiming up to 65 million people are accessing the service from outside the UK.

The Beeb has confirmed it is taking measures to prevent access which contravenes its terms of service and, naturally, that includes the use of VPN tools to fool the iPlayer into thinking the viewer is based in Blighty.

In a statement given the corporation suggested it had been battling illegal access for quite some time.

It wrote: “We regularly make updates to our technology to help prevent access to BBC iPlayer from outside the UK which breaks our terms of use.

“BBC iPlayer is freely available to users across the UK without a VPN, and we also seek to ensure users of private VPNs such as those used by schools and companies in the UK have access.”

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The news comes after a week in which overseas users began reporting their traditional means of circumnavigating the location blockers were no longer working.

A TorrentFreak report initially contained a statement from the BBC saying the restrictions are geared towards halting privacy.

The news will come as a blow to ex-parts, who may still be paying a license fee back in the UK, who’ve used crafty tools to catch up on their favourite shows.

However, the providers of VPN services are already finding workarounds for the blocks, which will likely see new UK-based IP addresses continually established in order to stay ahead of the Beeb’s blockers.

Related: Best VPN

Since the folding of the ‘Global iPlayer’ service, non-UK users have struggled to find a legal means to catch up on their favourite shows.

Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He's based in South Florida, USA. …