Ten years after the Brexit referendum resulted in Britain’s decision to leave the EU, the BBC looks back on the buildup to the crucial vote with two-part documentary series Brexit: A Very British Civil War.
The documentary begins with the election of David Cameron as the UK’s Prime Minister in 2015. Cameron famously pledged to allow a referendum on the UK’s place in the EU as part of his campaign for the premiership.
The new documentary will air in two parts – the first episode at 9pm on Monday, June 8, and the second a week later at 9pm on Monday, June 15. The documentary features interviews with major political figures, like former prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson, as well as Nigel Farage, George Osborne, and Michael Gove.
The series is directed by Max Stern, who also directed the 2023 BBC miniseries Putin vs the West, and produced by veteran documentarian Norma Percy, who in a 40-year career has produced dozens of documentaries, with a particular focus on the Middle East and global politics.
Here’s how to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War online from anywhere.
How to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War in the UK for free
How to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War from anywhere
If Brexit: A Very British Civil War sounds like it’s up your street but you won’t be in the UK when it goes live, your access to the show could be geo-blocked. You can use a VPN to access BBC iPlayer while abroad (do check you’re not breaching any terms and conditions first, though). You might be surprised at how easy it is to set up, and we have a great deal on our pick for the best VPN:
How to watch BBC iPlayer with a VPN
Using a VPN to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War is easy with our handy guide:
- Download and install a VPN: Our top pick is NordVPN, but any of the best VPNs will work
- Connect to a UK server: Open your VPN app, click ‘choose location’, and select a UK server (or just select ‘anywhere in the UK’)
- Head to BBC iPlayer: Head to the BBC iPlayer website or app.
What devices can I watch BBC iPlayer on?
- Amazon Fire (Tablets, Cube, Stick, TVs)
- Android TV (please note: some models aren’t supported)
- Android (Mobile & Tablet) – Android 7.0 and above
- Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
- Google TV (Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield)
- Freely
- Freesat (please note: some models aren’t supported)
- Freeview Play (TVs and set-top boxes) (some models aren’t supported)
- iOS (iPhone & iPad) – iOS 14 and above
- LG Smart TVs (2016-2024)
- NOW Smart Sticks and Boxes (minimum firmware v11.5.0)
- PlayStation (PS4 and PS5)
- Roku (Stick & Roku-OS powered TVs, minimum firmware v11.5.0)
- Samsung Smart TVs (2017 and above)
- Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream puck
- Virgin Media (360, Stream, TiVo)
- YouView (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
- Xbox (One, Series X, Series S)
Watch On
How to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War around the world
How to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War in other countries
There are no confirmed plans to bring Brexit: A Very British Civil War to the US, Canada, Australia or other countries yet – we’ll update this page if it becomes available in other regions.
For UK residents travelling abroad, you can use a VPN to access BBC iPlayer – see our handy guide above to get set up.
Brexit: A Very British Civil War FAQs
Brexit: A Very British Civil War episode guide
Episode 1: David Cameron’s victory in the 2015 general election sets the scene for a referendum about Britain’s place in the EU. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage begins campaigning for Brexit.
Episode 2: Cameron and allies like Chancellor George Osborne campaign on an economic platform to try to keep Britain in the EU. Mayor of London Boris Johnson campaigns for the opposite as Farage’s own leave campaign builds momentum.
Who is interviewed in Brexit: A Very British Civil War?
Per Radio Times’ interview with series producer Norma Percy, the series features interviews with every major figure involved in the campaign – except one elusive source that the team couldn’t track down.
Interviewees include:
David Cameron – Prime Minister, 2010 – 2016, Foreign Secretary 2023 – 2024
Boris Johnson – Mayor of London, 2008 – 2016, Prime Minister, 2019 – 2022
Nigel Farage – UKIP leader, 2006 – 2009 & 2010 – 2016, Reform UK leader, 2024 – present
George Osborne – Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2010 – 2016
Michael Gove – Various ministerial offices, 2010 – 2024
Peter Mandelson – Various ministerial offices, 1997 – 2004, 2025
Who wouldn’t be interviewed for Brexit: A Very British Civil War?
The same Radio Times interview mentioned above reveals that the documentary team were refused an interview with former government advisor Dominic Cummings for Brexit: A Very British Civil War.
Cummings most famously served as an advisor to Boris Johnson before and during the COVID pandemic, where he was found to break lockdown rules.
Most relevant to this documentary, though, is his role as director of the Vote Leave campaign during the lead up to Brexit – but Cummings ‘firmly’ refused to take part in the new series.
Brexit: A Very British Civil War – watch here
Here’s the link to watch Brexit: A Very British Civil War when the first episode goes live at 9pm on Monday 8 June.
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