Viewers tuning into Big Brother live on ITV or ITVX without a valid TV Licence could be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000, officials have warned. The reminder comes as the show returns to screens, with the same rules applying to any live TV on any channel or streaming platform.
Live TV rules and on-demand exceptions
TV Licensing states that while you "cannot watch any live TV channels without a TV Licence, including ITV", people "can watch on-demand programmes on ITVX without a TV Licence." However, a licence is required to watch BBC iPlayer, whether live or on catch-up, including Strictly Come Dancing, which aired its first 2026 episode on September 19.
Most on-demand catch-up TV does not require a licence, but watching or streaming anything live on any channel, device, or platform does.
Cost and penalties
A standard TV Licence costs £180 per year, following a price rise on April 1, 2026. A black-and-white licence costs £60.50. TV Licensing warns on its website: "You could be prosecuted if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally. The maximum penalty is a £1,000 fine plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay. The maximum fine is £2,000 in Guernsey."
Without a licence, viewers can legally watch catch-up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer, such as ITVX, All4, and My5; on-demand films or shows rented or bought from providers like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky, EE TV, Apple TV+, Disney+, or Now; S4C programmes on demand; DVDs or Blu-rays; and YouTube streamers' videos or clips.
What a licence covers
With a TV Licence, viewers can watch all of the above plus live TV on all free channels, including BBC One, ITV2, and Sky News; live TV on paid packages like Virgin, EE TV, or Sky; everything on BBC iPlayer; live sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup, UEFA Euros, and the Olympics; other live events like the King's speech, Royal weddings, Glastonbury, and Eurovision; and live streams on services like ITVX, Sky, YouTube, or Netflix.
Licensing officials add: "With a TV Licence, you can watch all of the above on any device."
