The world’s foremost classical music festival, Proms season comprises 86 concerts over eight weeks, across London, Belfast, Bradford, Bristol, Gateshead and Sunderland – and it all begins with First Night of the Proms at Royal Albert Hall this Friday, July 18.
You can watch First Night of the Proms online from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free.
Finnish star Sakari Oramo conducts First Night of the Proms, featuring compositions from Arthur Bliss, Felix Mendelssohn, Jean Sibelius, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Errollyn Wallen, the latter being the world premiere of The Elements. The full First Night of the Proms programme is listed at the bottom of this page.
Joining Oramo in South Kensington are violinist Lisa Batiashvili, a former New York Philharmonic artist-in-residence, tenor Caspar Singh, bass baritone Gerald Finley, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus and members of London Youth Choirs.
First Night of the Proms is the first of several major highlights of the 2025 season, which also include a Claudia Winkleman-fronted concert themed around The Traitors, a John Williams-heavy ode to the galaxy and beyond, and a Bedtime Stories prom for CBeebies.
Read on as we explain how to watch First Night of the Proms 2025 online from anywhere.
How to watch First Night of the Proms for free in the UK
Viewers in the UK can watch First Night of the Proms FREE on BBC Two and via the BBC iPlayer streaming service.
All you need is an account, a TV license and a UK postcode (e.g.HA9 0WS). Sign up here!
24 of the 86 Proms 2025 concerts are being televised in the UK, including shows inspired by The Traitors (Saturday, July 26) – with Claudia Winkleman on hand – and Star Wars (Saturday, August 9), and the Last Night of the Proms (Saturday, September 13).
What if you’re abroad? Grab this VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch your usual free stream from anywhere.
How to watch First Night of the Proms streams with a VPN
If you’re keen to watch First Night of the Proms but you’re away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, you can always use a VPN to access it instead (assuming you’re not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.
Use one of the best VPNs to watch First Night of the Proms from anywhere:
Can I watch First Night of the Proms in the US?
Any plans to make First Night of the Proms available to watch in the US are yet to be announced.
Brits currently away from home can use a VPN to watch First Night of the Proms on BBC iPlayer from abroad.
Can I watch First Night of the Proms in Canada?
As with the US, First Night of the Proms is yet to find a home in Canada.
However, UK nationals currently traveling in Canada can use a VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer and tune in from anywhere in the world. We recommend NordVPN.
Can I watch First Night of the Proms in Australia?
In Australia, Last Night of the Proms is typically shown on free-to-air ABC and its iView streaming service. At the time of writing, however, there’s no sign of First Night of the Proms 2025 in the network’s listings.
In the meantime, if you’re a Brit Down Under, a VPN like NordVPN will help you tune in.
First Night of the Proms 2025 Q+A
Can I watch First Night of the Proms 2025 for free?
Yes. BBC One is home to Proms 2025 in the UK, with 24 concerts set to be televised across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four, and live streamed on the BBC iPlayer platform.
What is the First Night of the Proms 2025 programme?
Arthur Bliss
Birthday Fanfare for Sir Henry Wood (2 mins)
Felix Mendelssohn
Overture ‘The Hebrides’ (Fingal’s Cave) (10 mins)
Jean Sibelius
Violin Concerto in D minor (35 mins)
INTERVAL
Errollyn Wallen
The Elements (10 mins)
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Sancta civitas (30 mins)
Who are the First Night of the Proms 2025 performers?
Lisa Batiashvili – violin
Caspar Singh – tenor
Gerald Finley – bass-baritone
BBC Singers
BBC Symphony Chorus
London Youth Choirs
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo – conductor
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