“Believe Me” arrives with a lot more weight than the average true-crime drama. Written by BAFTA winner Jeff Pope, the series tells the story of survivors targeted by John Worboys and the legal battle that followed, focusing on how repeated police failures left women unheard for years before a landmark case challenged the system itself.
Below, we’ll walk you through how to watch “Believe Me” from anywhere with a VPN and how to stream it for free in the U.K..
‘Believe Me’ release date and time
“Believe Me” premieres on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at 9 p.m. BST on ITV1.
• FREE STREAMS — ITV1 (live), ITVX (boxset) / STV and STV Player in Scotland
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN risk-free
The drama centers on Sarah, Laila and Carrie as their stories move from reporting sexual assaults to confronting institutional failures and, later, fighting to keep Worboys behind bars during a controversial parole process.
Daniel Mays stars as Worboys, with Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Aasiya Shah, Miriam Petche, Philippa Dunne and Rachael Stirling among the key cast.
ITV is airing all four episodes across two consecutive Sundays and Mondays in May, and the full series is expected to be available as a box set on ITVX after the first episode lands.
If you’re away from home when it premieres, there is a simple way to keep up with “Believe Me” using your usual service.
Watch ‘Believe Me’ from anywhere
Traveling and blocked from your usual apps? A VPN, or virtual private network, lets your device appear to be back in your home country, so you can securely use your existing subscriptions while abroad.
We have tested many options, and the best VPN available right now is NordVPN. It delivers fast, reliable connections and works on most devices. You can try it risk-free for 30 days thanks to its money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you’re in the U.S. and want to view a British service, you’d select the U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to ITVX and stream “Believe Me” for FREE
Watch ‘Believe Me’ in the U.K.
In the U.K., “Believe Me” starts on ITV1 at 9 p.m. BST on Sunday, May 10, with live streaming and on-demand access through ITVX.
Viewers in Scotland can also watch on STV and stream on STV Player.
The remaining episodes air on May 11, May 17 and May 18 and ITVX is expected to carry the full series as a box set after episode 1 premieres.
Already have a U.K. ITVX account, but traveling abroad? A VPN can help you securely continue watching from overseas. We recommend NordVPN for this.
Watch ‘Believe Me’ in the U.S.
At the time of writing, there isn’t an officially confirmed U.S. broadcaster for “Believe Me”.
Previous ITV dramas have appeared on BritBox, which may again be the case here.
If you’re a Brit in the States for work or on holiday and would rather stick with your usual U.K. streaming setup, you can still watch via ITVX by using a VPN such as NordVPN. Just connect to a U.K. server, then open ITVX as you normally would.
Watch ‘Believe Me’ in Canada
There isn’t an officially confirmed Canadian broadcaster for “Believe Me”.
BritBox is again a potential avenue for future streaming rights.
If you’re a Brit in the Great White North for work or on holiday and would prefer to stick with your usual U.K. streaming setup, you can watch via your normal services by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Watch ‘Believe Me’ in Australia
There isn’t an officially confirmed Australian broadcaster for “Believe Me”.
Some previous ITV dramas have appeared on 7Plus, which may again be the case here.
If you’re a Brit working or on holiday Down Under and want to keep using your usual U.K. streaming services, you can still catch the show with a VPN like NordVPN.
‘Believe Me’ trailer
‘Believe Me’ cast
- Daniel Mays as John Worboys
- Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Sarah
- Aasiya Shah as Laila
- Miriam Petche as Carrie Symonds, now Carrie Johnson
- Philippa Dunne as Harriet Wistrich
- Rachael Stirling as Phillippa Kaufmann QC
- Alexa Davies as PC Ellis
- Kae Alexander as Sadie
- Laurie Kynaston as Frankie Peacock
‘Believe Me’ episode guide
- Episode 1: Sunday, May 10 at 9 p.m. BST on ITV1
- Episode 2: Monday, May 11 at 9 p.m. BST on ITV1
- Episode 3: Sunday, May 17 at 9 p.m. BST on ITV1
- Episode 4: Monday, May 18 at 9 p.m. BST on ITV1
Is ‘Believe Me’ based on a true story?
Yes. “Believe Me” is based on the real-life case surrounding John Worboys, the survivors who reported him, and the legal battle over police failures and later parole decisions.
Will ‘Believe Me’ be on ITVX as a box set?
ITVX is expected to make all four episodes of “Believe Me” available as a box set after the first broadcast.
Where was it filmed?
Although set in London, filming primarily took place in Cardiff and Port Talbot, Wales.
Who are the main survivors portrayed?
The series focuses on three women: Sarah (Aimée-Ffion Edwards), Laila (Aasiya Shah), and Carrie Johnson (Miriam Petche), formerly known as Carrie Symonds.
“Sarah” and “Laila” are pseudonyms used to protect the privacy of the real survivors. Carrie Johnson, the future wife of former U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson, waived her right to anonymity during the original legal process.
More from Tom’s Guide
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.