How to watch Miss Austen online – stream Keeley Hawes period drama free

The cast of PBS/BBC period drama Miss Austen
(Image credit: BBC)

Looking to offer answers to the great literary mystery of Cassandra Austen (Keeley Hawes) burning her sister Jane’s letters, this new period drama is “a fascinating, witty and heart-breaking story of sisterly love.” So keep reading as we explain how to watch Miss Austen online from anywhere and potentially for FREE.

Watch Miss Austen online

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Premiere: Sunday, February 2 (UK) | Sunday, May 4 (US & CA)
FREE stream: BBC iPlayer (UK)
North America stream: PBS Masterpiece
Use NordVPN to watch any stream

Painting Cassandra in a role akin to any Austen heroine, the lavish adaptation sees the other Austen sister rush to the aid of her niece Isabella (Rose Leslie), who is on the verge of losing her family home following the death of her father. Set in 1830, years after Jane’s death, Cassandra’s real motive is revealed when she discovers a bundle of letters from the celebrated author, which, if made public, could destroy her reputation. Transported back to the sisters’ carefree youth, the story is told in both past and present as Cassandra recalls their younger days of romance, friendship and hope.

The cast is packed with stellar British talent – most of which are no stranger to period drama – including Phyllis Logan, Max Irons, Alfred Enoch, Jessica Hynes, Kevin McNally and Calam Lynch. Synnøve Karlsen and Patsy Ferran play the young Cassy and Jane.

This new Gill Hornby adaptation looks set to be a touching tale with all the period lavishness we’d expect from the Beeb , so read on for how to watch Miss Austen online, from anywhere and potentially for FREE.

Can I watch Miss Austen for FREE?

Not only are viewers in the UK the first to be able to watch Miss Austen from Sunday, February 2, but they can do so completely FREE on BBC iPlayer. All four episodes land at 6am GMT.

Not at home? Use a VPN to access you usual streaming services from abroad.

How to watch Miss Austen from abroad

For those away from home looking to watch Miss Austen, you’ll be unable to watch the show as normal if you're outside the UK due to regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN allows you to stream geo-blocked services online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home. Our favorite is NordVPN – it's the best VPN on the market right now.

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How to watch Miss Austen online in the UK

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for FREE BBC iPlayer6am GMT Sunday, February 2.

UK viewers will be able to watch all four episodes of Miss Austen for FREE on BBC iPlayer from 6am GMT on Sunday, February 2.

If you prefer to watch on linear TV, episodes will go out on BBC One every Sunday at 9pm GMT starting Feb. 2.

Away from the UK right now? Just use a VPN to alter your IP address so you can stream your favorite TV shows and films online just like you would at home.

How to watch Miss Austen online in the US

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There's going to be a bit of a wait for Miss Austen in the US, but the good news is, when it does arrive – on Sunday, May 4 – it'll air for free on PBS.

Episodes will also be available via the PBS Masterpiece channel on Prime Video, which costs $5.99 a month in addition to your Prime Video subscription, but does offer a 7-day FREE trial.

Brit abroad in the US? Anyone travelling in the US who wants to watch their usual streaming service from abroad can do so by using a VPN.

How to watch Miss Austen online in Canada

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Same time, same channel as the US for Canadian Austen fans, with Miss Austen arriving on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video channel on Sunday, May 4.

The price in Canada is CA$6.99 per month.

British viewer traveling in Canada? Brits away from home who want to watch their usual streaming service can do so using a VPN, so you don't have to wait for the show to launch over there.

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Can I watch Miss Austen online in Australia?

Aussie Anglophiles are out of luck with no confirmed release for Miss Austen just yet. Check back for more info as we get it.

Brit Down Under? Just use a VPN to alter your IP address so you can stream your favorite TV shows and films online just like you would at home.

What you need to know about Miss Austen

Miss Austen trailer

Miss Austen: A story of love and losses ❤️ | Official Trailer - BBC - YouTube Miss Austen: A story of love and losses ❤️ | Official Trailer - BBC - YouTube
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When is the Miss Austen release date?

Miss Austen lands in the UK on Sunday, February 2, with all four episodes available to stream straight away. They'll air on TV on Sundays at 9pm on BBC One. It'll premiere in North America on Sunday, May 4. An Australian release date is TBC.

What can we expect from Miss Austen?

The official synopsis from the BBC reads: "1830. A letter arrives at Chawton Cottage, where Cassandra Austen has lived alone for many years since the death of her sister Jane. The letter is from Kintbury, once the home of Jane and Cassandra’s dearest friend Eliza.Cassandra, now in her fifties, travels back to the village of her youthful memories to tend the deathbed of Eliza’s husband, the Rev Fulwar Fowle. Once there, and despite a cool reception from sister-in-law Mary, she soon forms a strong bond with Eliza's daughter, Isabella. But it soon transpires that Cassandra has an additional motive for having returned to Kintbury – the retrieval of some mysterious and important personal items that she knows are held somewhere inside the vicarage..."

Who is in the cast of Miss Austen?

  • Keeley Hawes as Cassandra Austen
  • Jessica Hynes as Mary Austen
  • Patsy Ferran as Jane Austen
  • Rose Leslie as Isabella Fowle
  • Mirren Mack as Dinah
  • Phyllis Logan as Mrs Cassandra Austen
  • Kevin McNally as George Austen
  • Max Irons as Henry Hobday
  • Alfred Enoch as Doctor Lidderdale
  • Calam Lynch as Tom Fowle
  • Liv Hill as young Mary Austen
  • Felix Scott as Fulwar Craven Fowle
  • Madeleine Walker as Eliza Fowle
  • Synnøve Karlsen as young Cassandra Austen

Is Miss Austen based on a book?

Miss Austen is adapted from the novel of the same name by Gill Hornby. Hornby has written three books about the extended Austen family, including the upcoming The Elopement.

Disclaimer

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.

Tom Wardley
Contributor

Tom is a freelance writer, predominantly focusing on film and TV. A graduate of Film Studies at University of South Wales, if he's not diving in to the Collector's Edition Blu Ray of an obscure 80s horror, you'll find him getting lost with his dog or mucking about in the water with his board. 

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